Breath
by Cheryl-chan
Summary: chapter 13 and epilogue: COMPLETE SHOUNEN AI SasuNaru sequal to Like an Angel Sasuke doesn't seem to act normally, and Naruto is confused as strange things begin to happen that both pulls himself to and pushes him away from the other boy.
1. N

Meh!! Wrote iiiiiiiiit!!!

Naruto is NOT mine though I wish VERY VERY (very X 100000000000) that it was…. Because if it was^^ there would be some nice little changes to it *grins evilly*

This is dedicated to my beloved beta XPKoganeiXP^______^ LOL! Because she's really great and fantastic and cool and the BOMB!! also she's my beta… I hope^^ 

Also this is dedicated to my wonderful Hikaru no Go Yaoi group and all the members in it^^ I won't name them the members this time because I know there are many new recruited members eh?? LUV YA!!!! I'll be back in a few days!! Glad it's up and living again!!

Also, there are no warnings… other than the fact that there are shounen-ai couples in there but really?? Who really does mind other than the narrow-minded weirdo's out there who can't accept the fact the two human beings of the same gender can ACTUALLY fall in love with each other!!!

BREATH 

Cheryl-chan

" NAARUTO!! Wake up for training!!!" Sakura's shrill voice entered one ear of Naruto and out the other.

He flipped over and pushed a pillow on top of his face to block out the girl's rather irritating voice.

" NARUTO!! WAKE UP!!!"

" MAAAAAAAAAAAaaa~ I heard you!! Just another minute!" Naruto yelled back. He heard a puff of impatience from his door and knew he had won.

" Fine Naruto. But don't blame me if Kakashi happens to stroll into the room and dump ice water on you accidentally." Sakura replied innocently with an annoying high-pitched giggle. Naruto rolled his eyes in relief as he heard footsteps bound away. 

Naruto stretched his arms over his head and yawned. Opening his eyes, he lifted his arm over his face in order to block his eyes from the blinding sunlight that streamed into the room. 

" Haiyaaaaaah!! Sooo Bright!!!" Naruto whined as he picked himself up from the warmth and comfortable bed he wished no more than to lie back in. Rubbing his eyes tiredly, he gasped at the numbing cold of the smooth wooden floor against his feet as he walked towards the closet. Flinging open the closet door, Naruto smiled in satisfaction at the loud *BANG* when the door slammed against the wall. His smile only grew wider when he saw a large crack on the wall. 

" Meh... " 

Naruto grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it off him when the sound of the door flinging open nearly caused him to loose his balance. 

*BAM*

Naruto stared incredulously at Sasuke as the other boy stared at him back; they both faced each other frozen in shock. Naruto's arms still above his head with his shirt tangled around his wrists. He felt his face heat up and noticed with some satisfaction that Sasuke's cheeks had turned pink as well.

Sasuke politely turned his gaze downwards to his feet away from the tantalizing view of Naruto's bare chest.

// Idiot Naruto; why doesn't he lock his door/// Sasuke seemed to have forgotten the fact that he was the one who had opened the door without knocking in his haste.

" Oh. You woke up." With that, Sasuke quickly turned around and hurried away. VERY quickly. 

Naruto was speechless, his eyes opened even wider if possible, remaining unblinking. Naruto shook a little, realizing he had been standing there for a while. He blushed remembering the incident of the night before all too clearly.

What the HELL??? Yesterday was nothing…. Nothing… Naruto told himself. It was just the after effects of eating six bowls of stolen stew from the kitchen in the middle of the night out of boredom. 

Naruto shook his head, pulled the shirt that was still tangled around his wrists away and rubbed his temples for a moment. There was a dull throbbing at his head that was rather uncomfortable.

/ Damn headache…/

Naruto suddenly felt a dizzying sensation in his head and a loss of balance in his feet. The loud pounds and painful throbs in his head only increased as he took in deep breaths of air.

/What the Hell is happening to me? / 

Naruto felt himself swaying a little back and forth, his brain losing contact with his numbing feet. His face didn't lose the furious red from the flush when he saw Sasuke. Naruto groaned and slapped a cool hand against his burning face, the action only brought a brief comfort before everything turned dark and he fell swiftly to the ground.

The only thing he saw before he fell was a young man running towards him. 

"_Naruto?"_

_" Naruto?_

Naruto opened one eye slightly, his mind was not clear and his thoughts appeared as though it was jumble of green and red colours. Naruto moaned and felt his sight clear up; it was STILL THE SAME!! Green and red colours drowning him… he can't breath nor can he move.

God… he felt like sleeping again…

_" Naruto??? Wake up?"_

Naruto mentally tried to punch whoever was endlessly calling his name fifty million times; but his arms felt like lead. He was too weak to even open his mouth and swear, much less hit anyone. Naruto felt his mind closing him on him again and knew that sleep was going overcome him soon enough.

"_Naruto Naruto Naruto??"_

_" Naruto?"_

Naruto really felt like throwing up now. If that person was going to say his name ONE more time, he'll legally get his fucking name changed!

"_Naruto!"_

THAT WAS IT!!! Naruto snapped and suddenly woke up. His head felt like there were a thousand hammers pounding his skull at once, his skin was feeling sweaty and clammy and HELL!! Whoever was calling him was going to be FREAKING MURDERED!!! PAINFULLY TOO.

" WHAAAAAT!!" Naruto yelled; jumping up and ignoring his mind's sensible advice to lie back down. He stood up on his bed, his bare feet sinking into the mattress making him lose in balance. Naruto yelled out a curse as he fell back on the bed, his face flushed in making a fool of himself.

He glared daggers at the woman in front if him. She had long black hair that was tied up in a tight bun behind her head, her complexion was pale and ghastly and her robes were drabbier than any he has ever seen. She seemed afraid of him for a minute and Naruto grinned in his head at the terror he caused in the eyes of his tormentor of sleep. But she seemed to realize a few seconds later that it was only a child in front of her. Her rather soft features crinkled up in distaste as she stared blankly at the boy.

"I just wanted to know whether you were sleeping well???"

Naruto stared disbelieving at her. What the heck was wrong with this lunatic woman?? She comes into his room, wakes him up and FREAKING ASKS IF HE HAD A GOOD SLEEP. 

" No. I'm NOT sleeping well due to the fact that I'm not sleeping AT ALL!!" Naruto yelled in his fury, he felt his veins of his temple pulse wildly and for a brief moment, his sickness was forgotten. That was before the throbs came back in deadly pounds and Naruto found himself falling back onto his pillows. Naruto slammed his fists onto his head in attempt to make the pain go away.

" Where are the rest of them?" Naruto groaned.

" You mean the rest of the visitors?" /No duh! / " They are still training outside but I'm sure they will be back in an hour or so." The reply came back softly.

Naruto groaned loudly again. DAMN!! They left without him, and today was the day for Kakashi's so-called "special" training. It was the reason the came to the boring place all together and he's not even there to learn it. He twisted his head back to the window and found that the sky was quite gray; he wasn't able to distinguish the time of day but the clouds. 

/I HAVE to get out of this place! / Naruto muttered softly, so that the maid wouldn't hear him. He had to get out and find them! There was no way he was missing out on this training, it would be the only thing that wouldn't bore his brains out of the few days they are staying here.

Naruto sat up again and shifted his body to put his feet on the cool ground. Lifting himself up with some difficultly, his arms lost strength and he feel back down again. His brows furrowed, Naruto pulled his attention towards the woman watching him with some amusement.

Naruto scowled bitterly.

" You know what? You could come and try to help me you know." Naruto said lowly. The woman shook her head, a tinge of a smile still on her lips.

" I've got orders to keep you in bed. You've got a fever right now and you should get your rest."

" But I NEED to get up!!" Naruto whined; hope was almost lost. The maid shook her head.

" It's not like I'm going to do anything to kill myself or something." Naruto watched her.

" What ARE you going to do???" The maid asked expectantly. Naruto sneered.

" Does a guy have to report to someone before using the can?" The woman immediately blushed and walked over to help pull him up. Naruto mentally cheered. /Success! / 

Naruto got up and motioned for the women to go out for a moment. He feigned an innocent smile.

" Thank you." He said sweetly as he headed for the door on the other side of the room entering the washroom. 

The minute the woman got out. He immediately leaped over to get his usual comfortable outfit out, yawning a little as he pulled on his pants. He decided that a little headache wasn't going to ruin HIS day; everyone was just overreacting! FEVER? Hah!! 

Naruto ran over to the window and jumped out. Ignoring a piercing pain that shot to his head, he ran into the dense forest oblivious of the storm clouds gathering quickly above him.

Sasuke wiped off the beads of sweat on his forehead as he continued to gather his chakra into his legs and kicking it forward. Slightly pleased at the whistle in the wind at the speed of his kicking, he forced his smile back down into an emotionless grim line and threw a careless glance at Kakashi. 

Kakashi nodded slowly before he felt a droplet of rain fall onto his nose. Swiping it away quickly, he lifted his face heavenwards and realized a storm was soon to come. Dark gray clouds swirled furiously in the sky. Sasuke and Sakura looked up as well and walked over to get their things from under a large oak tree.

" There's a storm coming, we should get back now." Kakashi said, stating the obvious. " This was a good day, it's too bad Naruto couldn't come." Sakura had been watching Sasuke as she always does; She noticed with some curiosity that Sasuke had paused for a moment at the sound of Naruto's name before he continued to gather his things up. 

/Wow, Sasuke must really hate Naruto to flinch at the sound of his name. / Sakura commented happily in her brain, but somehow, the shine that glittered in Sasuke's eyes for a moment before it went back to it's dull cool form again disturbed her. 

Sakura continued to watch Sasuke before he turned around and caught her eyes for a minute. For one excited moment, Sakura found herself breathless staring into the stormy gray eyes before he turned away swiftly and walked a fair distance away from Kakashi towards the temple. Sakura couldn't fight the bright smile and the warmth that filled her face as she pulled back up from her crouch and followed the two males.

She ran a little bit forward so that she and Sasuke walked side by side. Slightly put down that Sasuke didn't notice her, she decided to be the one to strike up a conversation.

" That was some pretty tiring training back there." Sakura said cheerfully, careful not to direct it exactly towards Sasuke but at the same time making it sound like a casual statement.

" Hn." Sasuke didn't even spare her a glance. Sakura felt her happiness die down for a minute before she forced a grin on her face again.

" *Giggle* It's a good thing that retard Naruto didn't come with us or he would have ruined our concentration with his ugly face like he always does, right?" Sakura felt slightly bad for insulting Naruto like that but a shared dislike may spark some interest in Sasuke. 

Sasuke shot her a withering cold glance.

" The only reason Naruto couldn't come was because he had a fever. Also, I despise people who talk behind other's back." Sasuke said firmly. With that, he quickened his pace.

Sakura watched him walk away from her. 

/ Sasuke said he hated me! Just for Naruto! / Sakura felt slightly hurt but she hurried as well.

" What do you mean you don't know where he is? Weren't you supposed to take care of him for me- I meant 'us'." Sasuke asked dangerously. Kakashi came up and patted him gently on the back to back him off. He watch the women who was so overcome with fear that her face was several times even whiter than before and shaking like a terrified cat.

" Do you know where he went?" Kakashi asked gently, concern in his voice. The women calmed down a little before she met Sasuke's deathly glare again.

" I don't know! That boy! He left after I told him you were training! He told me he needed to go to the washroom! How was I supposed to know that he was going to go out?!" She wailed.

Sasuke tensed. 

" Naruto is outside with a high fever! He can barely walk in his state and it's about to rain any second now." Kakashi pointed to the window. The woman followed his finger and shuddered as she saw all the trees leaning from the strong wind and the darkening sky. "It's going to be freezing cold and in his state; he could even DIE!" Kakashi said lowly. The maid started to sob and put her face in her hands. Sakura hurried to her and patted her hesitantly on the back.

// He could DIE.// Sasuke froze.

// Naruto could DIE.//

// Die...//

//DIE!!!//

*SLAM* All three people currently in Naruto's room at the moment turned around in surprise as they looked towards the swinging door. Loud stomps were heard in the wooden corridors before they softened due to the dirt ground outside. Kakashi rushed to the window and saw Sasuke's hunched shape race into the forest in almost an inhuman speed. 

Kakashi sighed deeply, his chest heaving.

" Idiot." But his voice was not heard because the dangerous whistle of the wind and the soft pitter of the rain slowly increasing in volume had consumed it.

Sakura could only stare out of the window and wish.

" NAAAAAARUTOOOOOO!!" 

" NARUTO YOU IDIOT!! YOU FOOL!! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU!!!!!"

" I SWEAR! IF YOU DON'T COME OUT RIGHT NOW, I'M GOING BACK!!!"

" NARUTO!! YOU BASTARD!!!"

Sasuke ran blindly, noticing only at a small corner of his mind of the raindrops hitting heavily on his skin. 

" NARUTO!!! WHERE ARE YOU!??" The rain began to come swiftly down in torrents, knifing through the air. With it was accompanied by the wind continuously hitting against Sasuke almost making his lose his balance. But all this along made him run faster, his hair flapping loudly behind him and several wet strands flinging about his face. There was a deafening burst of thunder so powerful Sasuke's ears began to ring. But Sasuke was oblivious to this since there was a more ear-splitting ring in his head already.

" DAMN IT!!! WHERE ARE YOU!!!" Sasuke felt himself tiring and freezing cold, the rain soaked through his clothes and they hung heavily on his torso sticking to his skin.     

Sasuke ran and ran and ran. 

The rain was not there anymore.

The wind was not there anymore.

The thunder was not there anymore.

He only ran.

// NARUTO!!!//

Naruto collapsed in exhaustion under a large tree when he heard the first clap of thunder. His head was thundering with pain and the rest of his numb body felt as weak as a kitten. Why the hell did he have to leave??? It was so cold…

He could barely even lift a finger; he was so very tired. Even when the freezing rain fell mercilessly on him, he was suddenly burning… burning with heat. His felt as though he was engulfed in flames. The rain poured down and he wished desperately for someone to find him… even Sasuke…

… Especially Sasuke.

Sasuke looked around wildly, his wet hair tossing around his head and sticking to his face. Sasuke flipped his hair out of his eyes in his haste. He couldn't see anything, the rain made it impossible for him to see.

" NARUTO!!!" Sasuke hollered with all his strength one last time before something caught his throat and he found himself choking with tears. Sasuke fell to the ground, not noticing the mud that had splattered onto his pants. He rubbed his face with his wrists. What was happening to him?? Why was he acting like this?? The only thing he wanted to do was get the painful jabs in his chest and the heavy lurches in his stomach. The only thing he wanted was to have Naruto safe by his side.

" PLEASE GOD!!" Sasuke pleaded. He knew he was thinking irrationally, he knew he was WAY past doing anything that would be right of mind. But the only thing he could think to do was pray.

" Please God. Please God. Help me find him! Help me find Naruto! He's sick!" Sasuke pleaded. 

But then rain continued to pour down, the wind didn't not stop.

Suddenly, in one agonizing moment; it was as though the world stopped and Sasuke caught sight of a tuff of blond hair. He paused for a moment, water still dripping down his face, and his eyes blank and emotionless. He stood up quietly; the rain would have drowned the any noise he made any way. 

Time stood still for the eternity of time that it took for him to get to the boy under the tree. 

Sasuke stood in front of Naruto and took in everything he saw. The wet blond hair that fell flat reaching his shoulders and on his face. The flushed cheeks and the erratic breathing that blew past the boy's white lips. The chest heaving slightly with every quick breath he took, and the uncontrollable shivering. He felt a tugging at his chest and he let out of deep heart-wrenching sob. 

Dropping to his knees in front of his archrival, he could feel the incredible warmth and emotion that swelled in his chest. Sasuke lifted one hand out and tenderly rubbed the frighteningly cold cheek of Naruto, sliding it downwards and back up again. He pulled the clumps of wet hair that had fallen in front of Naruto's face back behind his ears. Sasuke felt himself smile, but he was not entirely conscious about it about it because almost all his thoughts where concentrated on the boy in front of him. 

Naruto suddenly coughed loudly, a deep cough that rose grittily from his sore throat. Sasuke widened his eyes for a moment before he let his arms drop beneath Naruto's armpits and held the boy there. Suddenly, with one swift pull, he brought the Naruto to his own broad warm chest. The frail boy limply fell towards him; his head dropped heavily onto Sasuke's broad shoulders; his flushed face turned inwards so that his warm short gasps of breath were directed straight onto Sasuke's neck. Sasuke pulled his palms down to Naruto's waist and crossed them before he hugged the boy extremely tightly so that Naruto slumped back fell on the heat that radiated from Sasuke's body. Sasuke unashamedly clamped his knees around Naruto so that he would maintain balance. 

Only then did he relax, knowing that the boy was safe in his arms.

He felt Naruto calm his shivering and his breathing came back in slow swift breathes and fell tired, his head against Naruto's; raven dark hair clashing with a bright blond… no that it even mattered in the rain anymore.

" Why do you make me feel like this Naruto…?" Sasuke sighed softly, half asleep. His eyes shut and he was left sleeping; Naruto close by him. 

Yes, it was still raining… but even as the skies were dark; the rain slowed only to a light drizzle. It wasn't even cold anymore; it couldn't be cold for the two embracing boys, both still unsure of their feelings but only sure of the fact that they only felt complete in each other's arms. 

That was when Naruto woke up and found himself leaning against someone warm. Even though he wasn't able to see quite clearly yet, he knew who it was.

" Sasuke…"

OWARI (kind of)

SEQUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUAL!!

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm…. Yeah….. that's my sickeningly sweet sequel which I will tell immediately to all of you I DO NOT LIKE AT ALL!!!!! It was quick and sketchy and the plot was lame and it was every bad thing about a story put together… but quick to the point of putting Sasuke and Naruto together… I know it won't satisfy you guys much but hey?? Maybe it'll get you excited for the NEXT sequel!! 

I don't want to do chapters for this because… With kinda half one-shot half series stories… I get worm my way out of not finishing it when I don't' want to:P Which means with long series with chapters, I HAVE to finish it because each chapter leaves you hanging until it's actually the end^^ But with my way, you DON"T have to finish it and people can still think of it fit as an ending…….

MWAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAA!!

But don't worry^^ I DEFINITLY have a sequel for this because like I said before… I HATE THIS!! And I'll do anything to change the ending!!!!!

Thanks for all the reviewers though!!!

Drizzle- Well yeah!! OBVIOULY!! That's why we must change this!!! *grin*

Anon- I'm glad you liked my fic… erm… I guess it WAS pretty sappy ne?? Not my style at all^^ Anyways, got you sequel here^^

Ravendark- Hmm.. well who cares about priorities!! Hehe!! Go and eat more oranges, read more Naruto fics and Finish your work at the same time!!! Hehe!!

Naru-chan- Woah!! I did make Sakura-chan pissed off for you!! HAHA!! Well… she wasn't VERY pissed off now that I think about it but be sure of the fact that she will be in the future!!

Nora D- HAHA!! You're as hyper as me!! *offers you some sugar* Glad you liked my fic!!

Et-chan- You can always win with politeness eh?? But yeah!! More Sasu/Naru goodness for all!!

Motoko- more means more:P

XPKoganeiXP- WOOOOOOOOOOW!! Long review bud!! Hehe!! But you don't realize how HAPPY I was when you reviewed it!! It was just like WOAH!! She's back from the dead and here to review us all!! HAHAHA!! LOL! I remember the part when Naruto and Sasuke kissed though!! It was my FAVOURITE DAMN IT!! Hehe!! I stared at the picture for like 2 hours straight!! ME LOVE YOU!!!!!!!! *huggies*

Spoon- *glances at ball and chain sadly* I GAVE YOU WHAT YOU WANTED!!! ^_^

Temari- THANKIES!! 

SW- what do you mean he gets no love!! He gets LOTS of love!! HEHE!!! 

Michirukoshi- I wrote the SEQUEL!!! *squeals* Thanks so much^^ I personally think my writing isn't that great but it's wonderful to know someone thinks that!! *GLOMP*

Wusai, the Dark Phantasy- hmm… I dunno.. Lots of people do but they're obviously not writers seeing the lack of Naruto fics on the net yeah??

Siller- **nods sadly** He was wasn't he?? LOL! Then you shouldn't have read this fic because now it's Sasuke's turn to be totally OOC!!! Haha!! Sorry I couldn't live up to your expectations to a good fic but I'll try!! *grin*

Kwirtay- They make me squeal too!! *sigh* If only there were more…

KimKim- Thanks for the compliment!! LOL!! For me AND for Naruto and sasuke!! One thousand cheers for them!!

Pinky- *nodnod* YEP YEP! So everyone should come and write one as well!!

Gamefreak- They are TOTALLY the bomb!! Hikaru and Akira rules… too bad my block is ruining me for writing the next chapter *sigh*

Rylan- WAAAAAAAAAI!! I can't believe it's you!! Hehe!! But yeah^^ Sasuke/Naruto is one of my favs and yeah^^ That's basically it:P Say!! Do you still go to the group?? I heard you were missing for a while^^ But I shouldn't be saying because I haven't been visiting much either:P Raiden convinced me to come back!! I hope I'll see you there again!! *hug*

Faith- SHORT?? Was it short??? I guess I'll make up for that in my sequals right?? Besides, this one IS pretty long because I had to put a whole plot in it^^ 

Lilas- Yeah!! I realized that earlier:P but I had to finish it first before I could post it!! Hehe!!

Starsong- Thankies!!! I won't write another "chapter" but a sequal comes back!!

OK!! That took a lot out of me, answering all these reviews^^ DEFINITLY the last time I'm doing that!! LOL!! But I love you all!! Keep that in your minds!!

And how about I aim a little higher for the sequal this time?? 15 reviews??? HAHA!! 

CIAO!!

  
 


	2. A

YEEEEEEEEEEEsh^^ Ok ppl^____^ I AM a procrastinator and I admit it's going to be a habit I have to break out of soon enough^^ I remember about the whole 15 review bit thing and ya^^ I didn't exactly start writing this RIGHT after the 15 review mark:P That would explain the whole taking forever to post thing ne???

This chapter was basically written in two parts…… my first part was about a page long and it was the part where I kept on adding a sentence a day….. then you can see how in the second part, my writing style has kinda changed and it's rather weird ^________^;

WHAT EVER!! Read on!!!!

*************************************************

Naruto mumbled a little in his sleep and turned his bed. He felt really quite remarkably comfortable and warm, it was so quiet and serene... Naruto wondered for a moment if he had died from his fever and gone to heaven.

Deciding not to open his eyes just in case the peacefulness would be disturbed, he snuggled closer to his warm pillow and wrapped his arms snugly around it. There were a few minutes of calm and even breathing before Naruto paused...

He rubbed the back of his arm against his so-called-pillow and froze.

When the HELL did his pillow get HAIRY!!

Pulling his arm just a bit, he brushed the pillow with his hand and felt a bristly soft wet texture... He suddenly realized that the bed he was currently on was moving up and down steadily... like breathing...

And his legs tangled within something...

And there were TWO ARMS FREAKING WRAPPED AROUND HIS TORSO!!!!!!

Naruto pulled open his eyes and found his face pressed closely  against cloth... a clothed shoulder. Naruto didn't move, he was too terrified to check out who he was currently lying on.

Ok.... Breath Naruto... Breath... in 5 seconds... you will turn you head gently towards whoever's face and do whatever you do...  which is go crazy.

Naruto shut his eyes tightly, unwilling to move an inch.

5...

4...

3...

2...

" ONE!!!" Naruto hollered in accordance to his thoughts. With a swift pull of  his head, he paused as he took in the dark hair… the sharp features... and let out a shrill deafening shriek.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA~H!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

He leaped up and only thumped back onto on to his rival due to the fact that his legs with tangled with Sasuke's!! Falling back heavily on the chest, he happened to startle the other boy out of sleep.

 Sasuke moaned a little as his eyebrows knitted. Naruto froze again, watching the dark eyelashes slowly flutter open.

Sasuke rose his head and his eyes rolled towards the blond presently straddling his chest; he blinked twice groggily. Sasuke gave him a rather bewildered look before some kind of bizarre sort of understanding swept through his face and he relaxed. Sasuke gave a soft grunt before his head fell back again and his chest rose and lowered steadily in sleep. Naruto stared at him for a moment and he shook his head lightly at the surrealism of the situation.

" This is NOT happening." Naruto muttered softly to himself as he gently untangled himself away from the other boy. Finally tugging his right leg free from Sasuke's foot, he placed two fists of either side of Sasuke's face on the ground and pushed himself off gently as to not wake the sleeping boy.

Naruto fell to the ground on the other side of Sasuke and lay there perplexed. What the hell had happened? His gaze fell onto Sasuke's head, which was currently facing the other way. Sasuke's dark hair was tousled in a way that gave Naruto a terrible itch to run his fingers through it. His glassy eyed gaze changed to a glower.

" I was in his fucking ARMS!!!! What happened??? Why can't a remember anything??? Naruto knocked his skull with his fists of vain to regain the lost bit of memory. He ceased his fists after a few seconds and averted his attention to the clear blue sky.

In spite of himself, Naruto felt his lips tug into a smile. It did feel okay… in Sasuke's arms. His broad chest gave him sense of securi- HELL!!! What was his thinking!!!! Naruto suddenly shook his head wildly and lept up to his feet. Pulling his face into a nasty scowl, he was surprised at how natural it felt.

Naruto nudged Sasuke's thigh quite rudely with his foot.

" Oi."

There was no response.

" Oi! Wake up you bastard!" Naruto said a bit louder, glaring at his rival with extreme loathing.

There was still no sign of movement from the other boy before Naruto fumed and kicked Sasuke rather forcefully in the stomach. There was a sharp yell and in several seconds, Naruto doubled up in pain after Sasuke sent a rough jab to his stomach with his elbow.

" Owww… What's wrong with you……" Naruto groaned through his pain.

Sasuke cast a disbelieving look to him before he brushed himself off quietly.

" You're the one who kicked me! Baka…"

/he doesn't… remember…/

Sasuke quickly snapped on a cool expressionless mask onto his face and tried not to look at Naruto… or it'll bring back memories of the boy's warm hard body in his arms. Sasuke felt his face grow hot and quickly looked down to the grassy ground, seemingly to find some fascinating interest in his feet.

Naruto watched the other boy curiously.

" Ne… Sasuke?"

" Hn."

" How in freaking Hell did we get here?" Naruto made a point of looking around him distastefully. Sasuke finally looked up, his face cold and his eyes steely as usual, he shrugged.

" You were extremely sick last night… and in your idiocy, you went outside and got yourself lost. I had to go and find you again… in the rain." Sasuke said this all really quickly. He emphasized on the word "rain" in order to indicate Naruto the trouble he had caused for him.

 Naruto widened his eyes in a mocking parody of wounded innocence.

" It's not like I TOLD you to find me." Naruto ended with a sigh. Sasuke let his eyes go larger than usual before he looked away with barely concealed anger. The boy isn't even grateful. Why in God's name does it have to be "him."

                Naruto glanced at him apprehensively, noting Sasuke's sudden ill temper.

"Um… Sorry…. But I'm not apologizing to you because I'm supposed to or something, but umm… because I made the almighty Sasuke come out in the rain for me." Naruto said seriously, his smirk wiped off his face before he spurt out a hasty excuse to save his embarrassment.

Sasuke's face hardened, but the tightness not altering the shape of his face, his lips grew thin as well.

" Are you 'thanking' me?"

There was a short pause; that had lasted quite a bit of eternity for the two of them.

" Yes…" Naruto replied softly, Sasuke could detect the smallest bit of sincerity in his voice and felt his features soften. He quickly looked away and shuffled his feet, apparently a little embarrassed of the outcome of the situation. 

Naruto, a bit miffed at Sasuke's lack of reply quickly threw on a careless grin and stuffed his hands into his pockets in a sudden wash of shame.

" Umm… we should get back." Naruto retorted dryly as he made way in the direction he hoped was correct. 

" Wait!" Slightly stunned, Naruto turned around with the clumsiness he should have lost several years away and swaggered a little.

Sasuke purely out of reflex grabbed Naruto's arm to steady him, his fingers clasping onto the damp cloth of his rival's sleeve as he pulled the boy back to balance. Sasuke smiled amusedly.

" Clumsy idiot, the temple's that way." Sasuke rolled his eyes northward pointedly before he began to lead them both back.

Naruto blinked a couple of times, his smile loosed to a more natural fit. It was strange, while he would have naturally been agitated by Sasuke's comment…. 

His eyes glanced over at the firm grip around his arm as Sasuke tugged him along the dizzying pathways through the trees. The grip was almost… protective…

There was a twinkle in his eyes that lightened the dull orbs to a happy sky blue, and Naruto pushed at Sasuke's shoulders playfully. Sasuke looked back startled at the wild grin on Naruto's face, before a smile began to blossom on his own face as well and they both chased each other back to the temple.

Nevermind the nervous jostling and the anxious tugging; the hand that was wrapped around Naruto's wrist was warm…

…and that was all that mattered at the moment.

" WAAAAI!!" A cheerful cry rang through the room as Sakura ran over to joyfully grab Naruto in a hug. Naruto winced a little as he threw a helpless glance at Sasuke struggling to breath. Naruto patted on Sakura's back lightly, rather terrified at the girl's sudden show of care. 

" Ehhhh… Sakura-chan… it wasn't THAT bad." Naruto stuttered carefully, enormously relieved when Sakura stepped back rubbing her eyes and sniffling.

" It WAS bad Naruto!! Everyone was so worried, we even had to get Sasuke to find you, you idiot."

Naruto paused a little at her words, a gleam of uncertainty passed through his eyes before he grinned warmly again and proceeded to ask Sakura where Kakashi was and whether they fired the stupid maid yet.

Sasuke watched Naruto worriedly, before he glared openly at Sakura's bouncy self. He had caught the small pause of disappointment and surprise that had sparked in Naruto's eyes. It had been carefully concealed, but Sasuke could almost see the tug of sadness that had pulled at Naruto's heart when he assumed that his rival had been sent to find him, rather than from his own will.  Ok… Correction… what he saw was most likely an illusion from what it HOPED to see…

But Sasuke felt like blurting out anyways the fact that he HAD been extremely worried about him; but that would most likely plant strange disturbing thought in people's heads … maybe that Sasuke might actually _feel_ for him… 

Sasuke shuddered at the thought of explaining to Sakura about his emotions and confusion with his feelings towards Naruto… and could nearly vomit at the mere ponder of Naruto not being able to return what he felt for him… 

Maybe there were things that would be better kept secret.

Sasuke shrugged as he tugged onto his shirt and followed soundlessly behind his two excitedly chatting teammates. 

" Kakashi was really worried." Sakura remarked knowing it would spark some shock in Naruto. Naruto stared at her incredulously. 

"No way!" Sakura nodded knowingly.

" He was practically yelling at the maid person for letting you go…" Sakura exclaimed. 

Naruto blushed a little at this, it had been his own fault for tricking the maid and running out himself. He began to hope that the maid wasn't REALLY fired. 

" …Then we had to wait for you and Sasuke ALL NIGHT!!! The tension was so thick in the air you could take a knife and slice through it. We all couldn't sleep a blink!"

" HAHA!!" Naruto threw his head back in a laugh. " I'm sure you slept like a lamb Sakura! You don't care about me!" Naruto froze for a moment before he turned to her with a smirk. " Of course… you must have been worried to death about Sasuke…" 

Sakura flushed bright red at his words before she turned her head and threw a quick glance at Sasuke. She shivered a little when Sasuke glanced at her sharply. She managed a small smile back, her heart all a flutter.

" I really was…" Sakura sighed breathlessly. She quickly turned back around and smiled at Naruto, who was watching her intently.

" He was acting really weird and worried about you when he found out you might have died you know." Sakura whispered solemnly, she watched Sasuke out of a corner of her eye to make sure he wasn't listening. Naruto continued to watch her intensely, but his cheeks had reddened a little to a pinkish tint.

" Well… I suppose he would have been a pretty heartless bastard to not care about a team mate dying." Naruto joked quietly.

Sakura looked down at her feet and lifted her right hand to twist a couple of strands of hair around her fingers.

" We've never really talked like this before… have we Naruto?" 

Naruto nodded mutely.

Sakura turned around to give him a sad smile.

" I never gave you a chance… I think that Sasuke-kun was the only one who did that… And I… I think that I'll acknowledge you too, for who you are Naruto." Sakura stared back at her feet; her bangs had fallen from her headband to cover her eyes. " It was really when you were gone, when I realized just how important you are… to me… and to Sasuke."

Naruto stared at her shocked before he started to stammer.

" Um… um…"

Sakura quickly clasped her hand over his mouth and winked at him, she grabbed Naruto's hands tightly with her other hand.

" Go for him… Naruto." Sakura grinned brightly and gave a cheery wave before she bounced off.

Naruto stood there in agonizing silence for a few seconds, painfully aware of Sasuke's presence behind him. His ears seemed to magnify every tiny sound, from the low hushed breathing of the other boy to the nearing footsteps.

*stepstep*

"……."

*stepstep*

Naruto quickly shifted his feet around and faced Sasuke, he offered a small smile at the rival he envied so much. Sasuke watched him carefully, and Naruto's hands felt restless against the boy's close inspection…

                Like a cat studying his prey…

Sasuke slowly opened his mouth to speak—

" NARUTO!" Kakashi walked in loudly, he paused for a moment when he saw the two tense boys in front of him before his eyes crinkled up merrily, but almost proudly at the distraction he had made.

Naruto voluntarily took several steps back from Sasuke, only realizing then how close they were facing each other and made a face at Kakashi.

" GEH! You didn't even bother to go out yourself to find me!! You irresponsible man!" Naruto said with a smirk, trying to divert the man's attention away from the thought of reasoning why he and Sasuke could have been standing so close to each other.

Kakashi only shook his head.

" I don't go out and find brats… I leave their pretty little boyfriends to do the job." Naruto and Sasuke froze before Naruto let out a sound that could have been a laugh, a whimper and a cough at the same time.

" Go to bed Naruto." Kakashi said quickly.

Naruto jumped up angrily.

" What!! I'm all better now!!! Besides, it's the MORNING!" 

" If you're all better now--" Kakashi made a crude mimic of what Naruto said. " -Then why is your face all flushed and red?" 

Naruto stopped quickly as he tried to find a way to explain his condition without admitting that it was actually because of the harsh effect Kakashi's earlier words had on him.

He raised his arms up in defeat.

" FINE!! I'm going to bed!!!!! But you can be sure I'll be cranky when I get out.' Naruto raised a finger threateningly at Kakashi before he glanced nervously towards Sasuke and walked out of the room.

Kakashi turned away from staring at Naruto's retreating form to gaze intensely at Sasuke.

Sasuke sighed easily and walked towards the doorway.

" Heed sets the trap Sasuke."

Sasuke turned around to question what he had said, but stopped when he saw Kakashi's face.

"Whatever."

                Sasuke stepped out of the room.

TBC………….

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm…. I decided against writing a sequal and decided to put this up as a chapter instead!!!! WAI WAI!!!!

This chapter is REALLY weird and it's really late and frankly, I have no clue what I wrote……..

PLEASE don't notice the fact that sometimes my writing styles change drastically from one to another____ I JUST CAN"T CHOOSE!!!!! 

Anyways!!! I made Sakura ok in this chapter… because she was ok in the anime^_^ Not that she's my fav female character or anything cuz I still don't like her that much…. But I didn't make her the bitch I was planning to make her:P Besides, I don't think I want to get the Sakura-fans mad^_______^;

*looks around nervously*

CHEERS to my beta Koganei!!!!!!!!! *smile*

Me LUV u!!!!!

Ew… mushiness…………


	3. R

Bleh^____^ This chapter is shorter than usual but HELLOooo??? It came in like 3 days…. Or 4… or whatever 0_o

Even with the MEASLY amount of reviews I got for the chapter!!!  BAH people!! Holiday spirit!!!!

GIVE GIVE GIVE!!!!! REVIEWS!!!!

So there!!!! *grin* Dun worry tho, I still LUV YA ALL!! Even tho some of u are grinches!! *sticks tongue out*

Sasuke walked out of the temple and stepped onto the dirt ground. He paused for a moment and studied his surroundings, there were several bald men lurking around, but Sasuke could sense they were just the peaceful habitants of the temple.

Sasuke continued to look around, remarkably aware of everything around him, from the almost impossibly blue sky, to the slight sweet smelling breeze that teased him gently and caused the hairs to jump on his neck. He was also acutely aware of the warm rays of golden sunshine that poured down onto his bare beck and sent tingles through every neuron of his body. But he didn't care for all this at the moment.

His eyes finally caught sight of the young rose-haired girl he'd been trying to find and walked boldly towards her.

Sasuke folded his arms across his chest as he planted firmly down his two feet in front of Sakura, who was leaning against a shady large tree. He didn't care to cease the anger that was flowing quite smoothly from his burning eyes and glared, knowing that the girl would be intimidated and frightened.

Sakura looked up curiously, her fingers still busily weaving the long strands of grass into a delicately woven rope. She blinked up at Sasuke, her eyes getting accustomed to the glare of the sunlight behind the shadowed boy and smiled as his features came into view.

" Sasuke-kun?!" She exclaimed quietly, without a hint of surprise, her eyes twinkling with an innocence Sasuke found extremely irritating.

Sasuke continued to glower at her angrily, not moving an inch from his position in front of her. He was glad that he was blocking her sunlight, girls and their stupid sun-tanning tendencies. He expected Sakura to cringe and whimper, or even at least shift nervously as every other person he knew would... well other than Naruto. But Sakura continued to gaze at him with large questioning eyes, and a small teasing smile tugging at her lips. Sasuke decided against his scare-the-girl-and-keep-her-away-from-Naruto plan and felt his fists tighten.

" What were you talking about?" Sasuke asked lowly, his voice near a growl. He narrowed his eyes.

Sakura began to smile at him pleasantly.

" What are you talking about??" 

Sasuke felt rage building up inside of him, his jealousy from when he saw Naruto and Sakura whispering intimately with each other the seed of his instantaneously blooming animosity. He dropped his arms to his side and clenched his firsts so tightly he felt his nails dig painfully into the skin of his palm.

" You know what I'm talking about. Whatever crap you told him... why the hell is he acting so weird around me now?"

Sakura now seemed genuinely surprised by his anger; she looked downwards with a slight flush on his cheeks. Her hands unconsciously began to tear the pieces of grass in her palms apart. She finally gathered up the courage to stare back at him boldly with white-pursed lips. She felt her heart slowly tighten and loosen in her sudden fear of her teammate. She coughed.

" Um. Whatever I told him is none of your business--"

She gasped in surprise when two arms slammed into the tree on either sides of her face roughly; she shut her eyes, willing the fear away. But her mind kept on replaying the whistle of the wind and the crunch of cracking bark in her ears. 

Sasuke found himself suddenly punching the tree viciously behind Sakura, his entire torso bent over so that he was face to face with the girl. 

Fury ran through his burning blood throughout his body and for a brief moment... it was as though he was spirited out of his body and watching the scene below him. His shaking body  was leaning over Sakura, shadowing her and leaving her trembling. Then he was back and suddenly disgusted with himself. But he didn't put down his arms, uneven harsh pants sounded from his semi-open mouth and his eyes were glazed with disbelief at his actions.

Never... to a teammate....

Sasuke finally staggered back, nearly losing footing and he stared at the girl in front of him. Sakura still had her eyes shut, her lashes fluttering as though she was about to burst to tears any minute.

Sasuke quickly calmed himself and stood still.

" Sakura..." He called gently.

Sakura opened her eyes a little and found Sasuke in front of her, looking adorably sorry for what he had done. She sighed and opened and closed her mouth several times as though she was torn between the choice of speaking or not speaking. She finally gazed at him seriously.

" He's… afraid of you…"

Sasuke stared at her for a moment, unable to believe her. Sakura held back a giggle, seeing how similar his reaction was with Naruto's.

" D-did he tell you?" Sasuke asked timidly, a thin brow rising.

Sakura ignored what he said and looked to her side, at the sky as her fidgeting fingers and hands began to tug at the grass.

" Do you know I used to like you?" 

Sasuke widened his eyes, a little taken back by her comment.

" Err... no. Ahh..."

Sakura smiled contently.

" I still do..." Sakura looked up confidently at Sasuke's shocked face. " But I know that you will never share my feelings, because you hold them for someone else." Sakura sighed, her fingers dropping the grass she pulled up and tugging at another patch again. " That's why... I'll help you... Because Naruto is special to me too..."

" Sakura..." Sasuke whispered, tenderness in his heart had taken the place of his previous dislike for the girl. He walked forward to place his hands gently on the other girl's, stopping them from pulling the grass that had already gathered in piles around her. 

" Don't do that... the grass will die." 

Sakura looked up at his handsome face, that face she had fallen in love with so long ago... and felt tears well up in her eyes.

" I'll stop... and the grass will move on, healthy and strong." The eyes were dry once again and a genuine smile pulled at her face.

Sasuke smiled as well, the smile contorting his features brilliantly to unfamiliar beautiful ones that were hidden before. This time, Sakura felt tears roll down her cheeks hotly onto her heavenward curved lips. 

" I know."

Naruto lay on his bed, looking at the peeling white of the ceiling. He lifted his head and dropped it back down onto the stiff pillow.

" I'm am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO bored..." Naruto called out tonelessly.

He lifted one arm to stretch it slowly above his head, his last finger curling then stretching out as far as possible as if to reach some invisible goal. He lay like that for a while, one arm reaching out with some strange expression on his face that resembled yearning.

Naruto sighed after a few minutes, and dropped his arm back down heavily beside him with a thump that was muffled by the sheets. He turned over to his side and faced the wall.

" What do you want?" A low voice came behind him. Naruto widened his eyes as he recognized the voice, shutting his eyes tightly all of a sudden. His entire body tensed as he miserably lifted an arm up to wave away Sasuke.

" Go away… I'm sick." Naruto snapped. Hearing a silence behind him, he managed a couple of fake coughs. 

" You're lying." Came the cool reply. 

Naruto twitched; he could almost see that damn smirk on Sasuke's face. Feeling a boost of confidence as his usual anger and annoyance towards his rival returned in all its familiarity, he flipped himself over to face the doorway. Naruto felt the fluster of excitement that tingled through is body when he saw Sasuke standing there, one hip raised jauntily and hands stuffed into the pockets of his shorts.

He tried to sneer at the other boy, but only managed a slight movement of lips before it fell to a frown. 

Naruto quickly looked away from the boy again.

" No! I'm not." Naruto quickly coughed up several fake coughs again for good measurement, but even to himself it didn't sound convincing.

Sasuke stared at him, his expression hidden and impossible to read. Naruto watched mesmerized as he watched Sasuke slowly bring his tongue out to wet his dry lips. He shook himself as if to awaken himself from the entranced daze and glanced up to the ceiling.

" Go away!" Naruto moaned again as he raised an arm to his forehead. He waved his free hand feebly again at his teammate. " Go find Sakura or someone to annoy."  

" I already talked to her." Sasuke answered, his voice was hoarse, as though he had been yelling a lot. Naruto finally threw his arm off his face and lifted himself up so that he was sitting upright on his bed.

" Are you leaving or not?" Naruto asked lowly, he glared at Sasuke.

" No." Sasuke said blankly.

Naruto made a face at him, pulling his lips back and sticking his tongue out.

" Whatever! You can watch me sleep then if you—" His voice fell to a breathless gasp when Sasuke suddenly slid over beside the bed with a speed that came from years of training.

" I don't want to watch you sleep… But we can find some other use with your bed." Sasuke growled, a dangerous glint in his dark eyes.

Naruto gulped as he leaned back away from his rival.

" Whaaa…?" He trailed off. Naruto suddenly glowered back defiantly. " Bleh! I don't want your dirty body in my bed." 

Sasuke raised a brow and smirked at him, Naruto flinched.

" What made you think what I was talking about involved me being in your bed?" Sasuke asked coolly. Naruto continued to edge away little by little, unsure of the actions that this new Sasuke would take.

" Uh… uh…" Naruto stammered uneasily.

Sasuke smiled at him, a large smile that showed his gleaming white teeth. It was almost predatory in away and Naruto suddenly felt a new kind of fear that blossomed at the pit of his stomach.

Sasuke bent over towards Naruto so that his face was mere inches away from the other boy's. 

" Why don't you stick out your tongue again? I dare you to…" Sasuke whispered roughly, his mouth hovering near Naruto's ear. Naruto shivered involuntarily at the warm breath that blew at his ear lobe and sent jolts of a combination of excitement and distress down his spine. Sasuke leaned in even more closely; eyes narrowed dangerously and the tips of his lips twitched upwards.

Naruto suddenly shoved Sasuke away, his face flushed as though he had painted his face a bright red. Sasuke stumbled back a bit with a slightly bewildered expression on his face. 

Naruto tried to will his blush away as he threw a book that happened to be sitting on the table beside him towards Sasuke. A book that Sasuke caught expertly with a quick swipe of a hand straight before it hit him squarely on the nose. 

" What's your problem Sasuke!???" Naruto cried out loudly. He threw an angry glare at Sasuke before he threw off his covers that gathered around his hips and stomped out of the room.

            Naruto kicked at the grass as he circled a safe distance around the temple.

            " Damn Sasuke… always thinking he can take control of me… Thinks he's so powerful and great and perfect and wonderful and… I HATE HIM!!!! I hate him I hate him I HATE HIM!!!" Naruto repeated angrily, kicking even more furiously at the ground. 

            Naruto found a nice shady spot under a tree that would be good shelter under the harsh rays of the sun. He fell down heavily onto the ground and lay on his back. He stared at the leaves swaying in the wind over the thick branches above him. Small peeks of white sunlight shone brightly through the cracks of space between the thousands of leaves and fell in thin strands pouring in an almost liquid form on the places it touched.

            Naruto took a deep breath and exhaled loudly, blowing up wisps of blond hair that fell onto his face and gently fluttered back down.

            Naruto could barely control the tremor of excitement that run through his body to the very tips of his fingers. When he remembered the intense concentrated gaze of Sasuke's burning bottomless pits of eyes that seemed to penetrate his very soul… It had bore into him, inspecting and taking in everything Naruto wanted to keep hidden. Naruto clenched his fists, his fingers digging into his skin so tightly that it broke and blood began to seep out. Naruto wiped the wetness off his hands and sat on them.

" What was _wrong _with him???" Naruto asked himself quietly. " He was so different and direct…" Naruto stared at the blades of grass that ripped like a wave as the breeze swept through. His eyes hardened again, growing as sharp as knives.

            " I HATE him!! I had no right to confuse me like that!" Naruto felt like slamming down his fists and was grateful that he still sat on his hands. " Horrible bastard… can't do anything to me… thinks himself all high and mighty just because he helped me…"

            " Well Naruto… is speaking to yourself a favourite past time of yours? Or did you just go delirious in your sickness?" A cheerful voice suddenly came out of nowhere.

            Naruto stiffened up, as he looked around to see who was talking to him.

            " Up here." Naruto realized that the voice had come from above and glanced up to find Kakashi crouching on one of the branches of the tree and waving carelessly at him.

            Naruto made a rude finger gesture at him and grumpily slumped back on the tree.

            " Nyah!! Kakashi!! Are you stalking me or something? Why are you always there at the worst times!?!" Naruto whined loudly without looking at the man. Kakashi stared at him with his one eye, and ruffled his own fair spiked hair with his hand.

            " Are you having problems?"

            Naruto turned his head to look up displeased, pausing for a second; he shrugged and began to fiddle with his fingers.

            " Did you notice how Sasuke has been acting weird since we came back?" Naruto asked timidly. Kakashi raised his one visible eyebrow in interest.

            " What do you mean?"

            Naruto rolled his eyes and didn't reply.

            " I'm sure he didn't mean what he did to you/" Kakashi sighed.

            Naruto jumped and looked up angrily.

            " Were you spying at me?" Naruto spat, feeling a furious blush run through his face. Kakashi watched at him expectantly.

            " In case you didn't know, you were speaking quite loudly to yourself." Kakashi retorted with a snort.

            " Oh." Naruto said lamely. 

            " What 'did' he do to you?" Kakashi asked curiously.

            " I don't know… coming into my room without warning and throwing suggestive comments at me… nothing much…" Naruto muttered angrily. He refused to look at the other man before he heard deep chuckles and lifted his head. "Are you laughing at me?" 

            " Sasuke seemed extremely worried about you… when you got lost."

            " I know that, I've had him and Sakura tell me that already." Naruto huffed. Kakashi was surprised as he swung his dangling legs up to the branch and crossed them.

            " He actually 'told' you that he was worried about you?" 

            Naruto blushed at his slip of words.

            " Not exactly… I think he just kind of meant it."

            " Well he surprised all of us." Kakashi nodded as he said that. " You're right though, Sasuke WAS rather worried about you… but not only when you got lost. But I've noticed in the past couple of months that he's been keeping a pretty close eye on you."

            Naruto stared at him.

            " Are you trying to say in some weird distorted way that he LIKES me?!" Naruto said, his voice several pitches higher than usual. Kakashi shook his head.

            " No. I'm not in position to say that and I'm not exactly sure yet myself. But I have reason to believe he doesn't have as much… we could say… dislike towards you as when he first met you."

            Naruto snorted as he pulled his legs to his chest and wrapped his arms around them tightly in a secure way.

            " Dislike?! Understatement of the century!" Naruto exclaimed.

            " What I mean is… give him a chance, maybe make an effort to be his friend. He won't be one to take the first step in offering his hand in friendship, he's too careful of being rejected. His fear from his past has kept him away from trusting anyone much."

            " His past?" Naruto was interested.

            " I can't say anything about that either." Kakashi's eye twinkled. Naruto looked towards the temple thoughtfully before he turned back to Kakashi.

            " Is it just me or are all of you trying to get me together with Sasuke?" Naruto rubbed his head against the rough bark of the tree.

            Kakashi only laughed.

TBC…………..

Geh??? 0____________o

Yeah… I really don't know where this story is going…….. I can't exactly explain why Sasuke was acting so weird all of a sudden either… because I don't even know yet^_____^

But I'll find the answer soon enough and somehow put it in the story:P

Yaaaaaaaaaaaa…. So this chapter came REALLY quickly because I wanted to finish it before I left for winter vacation!!!

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! Florida!!!!

Isn't it a coincidence that my beta Koganei lives there too????????

…. Well no…

but it's too bad I'm going to an entirely different part of Florida ^_^; Wouldn't it be kool if we like passed each other on the street without even knowing????? 0_o

Woaaaaaah…. 

Anyways!! The FORTH chapter might come either in 2 days… in two weeks… one of those two^___^ Depends if I can finish it before Sunday… which is unlikely_ But it maaaaaay be possible if I get enough REVIEWS!!!!!

Yeeeeep!! Reviews are good motivation!!!! *smile*

REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!!!!!!

Bah Humbug…… whatever….

CIAO!!!!!


	4. U

GAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! SEE??? It came in EXACTLY 2 weeks time^__^ I couldn't get it in two days because well… I couldn't… 

Actually, this was finished a while ago, *grin* But I decided to keep my promise and have it arrive at the correct time… Wait… *thinks* *smiles nervously* My last chapter came on a Saturday didn't it??? Hehe… this seems to be a day late^_____^;;;

But it came and you gotta appreciate that ne??? Bleh^__^

Acknowledgments to the REAL creator of Naruto, and if it weren't for him, this story wouldn't exist^^; And wouldn't THAT be sad??? 

Also to my beta, Koganei, who I didn't send my last chapter to because I was too late and I HAVE been letting out too much information about her to you guys without her consent… hehehe… SORRI!!!! But she's the BEST and KOOL and Me LUV HER!!! *glomps her*

And to my adoring fans of course…. *everyone looks away uncomfortably*

*tears up* Ok… then… fine! _

WELL… enough of this and ON WITH THE STORY!!!!

***********************************************************************

Naruto frowned to himself, his features crinkling up dejectedly as he tred deeper into the forest. Deep in his thought, he still tugged at small branches and rubbed markings on trees with small stones on the way, not caring to make the same mistake as before. Heh… and have Sasuke save him again. Naruto laughed at that, though he didn't know why.

After a minute or so, he bent down to grab a rock and began to rub it roughly against the tree. As the bark began to peel off, Naruto paused, his eyes glazing over in thought. His hand had ceases minutely against the tree. With a leap, he swiftly ran up the tree and landed on one of it's larger branches. He dropped heavily, leaning against the trunk while his legs dangled underneath him. He always enjoyed the atmospheric serenity that came from sitting in a quiet tree, shrouded from everything with its large cowering braches and leaves.

Naruto ran his hand thoughtfully against the pricks and creases of the tree, his lean fingers delving out of the little valleys and hells the rough bark created.

Naruto remembered Kakashi's earlier words and began to compensate actually taking up on his advice. Naruto suddenly caught himself and mentally slapped himself in disgust; make friends with that asshole??? NO WAY!!!

But…

" His past eh…" Naruto whispered to himself quietly with a curious glint in his eyes, the kind like that of a mouse in front of a mousetrap.

" Yeah. My past." 

Naruto's eyes rounded as he gasped sharply, swinging his gaze downward. His eyes narrowed and he pulled his face into one that depicted obvious dislike and loathing towards the boy standing several feet below.

" What the hell are you doing here??" Naruto growled, glaring hatefully at him.

Sasuke shrugged with that same cool I-don't-care-about-anything air around him, his unfathomable dark eyes peered at him. Naruto shifted uncomfortably. 

" Making sure you don't get your idiot ass lost again." Sasuke replied evenly.

Naruto looked at him incredulously and tightened his hands onto fists furiously.

                " Shut up!! Go away!! I'm not a baby!!!" Naruto yelled at him in a sudden wave of rage and fury. He swung his legs up onto the branch and looked away, trying to ignore his rival's presence all together.

                Sasuke continued to watch him with those piercing eyes, not having had moved an inch.

                Naruto made a dirty face at him; he kicked at the tree angrily.

                " GO AWAY YOU BASTARD!! I DON"T WANT TO SEE YOUR UGLY FATASS FACE!!!!"

                " Come down." Sasuke ordered suddenly.

                Naruto shot him a disbelieving look before snorting and turning away.

                " Fuck you! So you can go and rape me again with your dirty disgusting ways!" Naruto muttered bitterly.

                Sasuke stared at him quietly, unmoved by Naruto's remark.

                " Come down…" Sasuke paused thoughtfully. This was also the short amount of time for the alarming words, 'Oh Shit' to click into Naruto's head. 

                "—Or I'll come up." 

                Naruto barely took in Sasuke's words before he found the boy leaping up and landing beside him. The branch shook between the weight of the two, swaying a little and regaining its reliable sturdiness. Naruto stared at him with barely concealed shock before he made a terrible face.

                " God Sasuke! Ever heard of personal space?" Naruto muttered as he yanked his legs away quickly and pulled himself back. He scooted away a couple of inches uncomfortably, before he found himself against the tree. He tried to fight down the urge to jump down and run away, but a flash of immense embarrassment from what Sasuke would think almost made him sick.

                Sasuke watched him for a moment with blank eyes before he let out a shuddering breath and sat down onto the thick branch as well. He leaned back slightly, perching himself up with his arms so that he was looking face-to-face with the other boy. Sasuke continued to gaze at Naruto unwaveringly.

                " You are… still angry about what had happened." Sasuke stated wearily.

                Naruto glared at him uneasily, torn between wanting to discuss and avoid the subject at the same time. 

                " No shit genius[A1] ."

                " I'm… sorry." Sasuke said stiffly while grimacing, he was obviously having a hard time having these two words directed towards the gaping boy in front of him.

                Naruto was fully taken back; his eyes were as wide as saucers as he helplessly tried to find something to say in reply. His mind in a state of confusion and shock, it was put on hold and Naruto's eyes slid away instead in an almost rare show of shame and embarrassment. 

                / Shit Shit Shit…/

                It was a few moments before a high-pitched giggle was ripped from his throat; Naruto quickly slapped his hand to his mouth distressfully. Soon, more chuckles and laughs rose from his thought, the pathetic attempt to muffle it was useless. Naruto's face began to redden in his laugher and he bent over to his knees to cover his face. But his back still heaved with every laugh and Naruto was caught in alarm, dumfounded at the sounds emitting from his mouth.

                He was almost terrified to see Sasuke's face. Although Sasuke was a little terrified as well, his eyebrows rose in bewilderment as he watched the boy in a fit of laugher. He frowned at him indignantly.

                " It's not that funny!" Sasuke told at him angrily, his eyes burning with rage.

                " I *wheeze* fucking *chuckle* HATE YOU!!!" Naruto breathlessly retorted between harsh breathless and uncontrollable laughter. Sasuke didn't know exactly know how to act in the situation and sat there instead, glaring at the other boy waiting for his laughter to pass.

                Naruto soon calmed down… though several snickers erupted every time he cast a glance at the other boy. Sasuke remained silent for a while, making sure Naruto had calmed himself.

                " What the hell was that?" Sasuke asked lightly, a look of heavy distaste on his face.

                Naruto blushed, though his face was already red enough from his laughing. He quickly looked down, so that his hair somewhat covered his face.

                " I hate you." Naruto muttered. Sasuke stared at him incredulously.

                " I realize that… but just because I hate ramen doesn't mean I'll go doing cartwheels and flips in front of everyone." Sasuke said dryly. Naruto snorted when an image of that appeared in his head. He looked at Sasuke in surprise.

                " Dude… you hate ramen???" Naruto asked him, his brows furrowed as his mind was unable to accept that. Could ANYONE hate ramen???

                Sasuke ignored him.

                " What the hell was that??" Sasuke repeated calmly.

                Naruto shrugged. " It was just stupid… how amazing it could be that you could actually apologize to me. 

                " I /am/ sorry." Sasuke said again. This time, Naruto studied him carefully. Yes… he did look sorry… but he looked unperturbed as well. This fact distressed Naruto a little because of the sureness that emitted from Sasuke's little smirk. The confidence Sasuke had in his sharp eyes that Naruto was actually /that/ way. Nauto frowned to himself… he wasn't /that/ way! He still liked Sakura; she was cute, if not a little overly perky… 

                " Uh…" Naruto stuttered. Sasuke cut in.

                " Let's just pretend it never happened… alright?" Sasuke said. 

'Unless you want it to.' Those unperturbed eyes told Naruto at the same time. Naruto shivered at bit, noticing slightly the faintest of smiles that crawled off Sasuke's lips. 

He tensed, suddenly hit by that disturbing feeling again. As though it wasn't really Sasuke at all. Of course, the boy was sitting right in from of him in flesh and blood…

                But… Naruto wrung his hands in confusion before he shook the thoughts away.

                Perhaps it's just that Sasuke had been hiding this new persona all along underneath that cold exterior. Naruto was still unsure of whether he liked this or not.  

                " S-sure…" Naruto answered uneasily. Sasuke watched him closely for a moment before he leaped off the tree and walked back. 

                " Come down soon… we're almost eating." Sasuke called to him without looking back.

                "Hai…" Naruto answered softly, his mind jumbled up more than ever.

*********************************************************************************

                When Naruto got back for supper, even the food tasted bland to him. Because he did happen to notice the curious glances Sasuke kept on throwing at him. Also how every time Sasuke realized that Naruto caught him staring at him, he would immediately stare back down to his plate in a sudden case of shyness. Naruto scratched his head a bit, not before throwing dirty looks at Sakura and Kakashi. Who happened to be throwing at him /knowing/ glances instead! The Hell??? 

                Naruto fidgeted with his food a bit, pushing it around on his plate. Supper was a quiet affair and no one spoke much. A sudden change from the usual lively conversations they had, Naruto felt out of place.

                " Uh… so what will we be doing tomorrow?" Naruto asked quickly, desperate to creak the silence.

                Sakura answered instantly.

                " We're resting, Kakashi-sensei told me that we could do anything we want." She smiled, though it was almost plainly seen that it was forced. Everyone smiled at her in turn, sickly forced smiles that made their faces hurt. Not because they disliked Sakura of course, but because of the tension that had crept its way ever since Naruto had gotten lost.

                There was that damned silence again. Naruto's insides churned unpleasantly and he quickly got up to his feet with a shove of his chair.

                Everyone looked at him. Naruto swallowed wearily.

                " I'm going to sleep." Naruto announced loudly without looking at anyone and stomped his way out. This proved to be an exit for the rest of them.

                Sasuke made his way out too. " Uh… I think I'll go sleep too." 

                Sakura hurriedly left next taking her plate with her.

                Kakashi sat at the table alone with an amused glint in his eye.

                " They can never cease to weird me out."

**************************************************************************************

                Naruto fell back on his bed, trying to ignore the memories that arose from the last tine he was in his room. His sheets were still tousled and Naruto made an effort of straightening them a bit even though he knew he was going to sleep in a while anyways.

                " Hey."

                Naruto groaned as he recognized the voice and made no effort in facing Sasuke. He continued to stare at the ceiling again.

                " Must you come and find me in every waking moment of your life." Naruto whined. He didn't have the patience nor mental ability to deal with his rival right now.

                " Like you'll have the privilege of facing me all that time." Sasuke said quietly.

                Naruto sat up and faced the boy, who was standing in front of the doorway. Because the room was dimly lit at the time, and the sun was setting around, the light behind Sasuke almost looked as though it was rather shining /from/ him. 

                Naruto's breath hitched, hit by a sudden sense of déjà vu. He quickly took in a quick breath of air and huffed impatiently.

                " What is it this time?? Come to apologize to me again??" Naruto sneered. " By the way, I don't think that I mentioned before that I WILL NOT FORGIVE YOU!!! NEVER!!!" Naruto shouted all of a sudden, caught in sudden confusion. Because to him, it was as though Sasuke was switching back and forth. It didn't make a lot of sense and Naruto found his head reeling. 

                It was as though he was caught suddenly in one of those weird TV sitcoms, where it was almost as though something was vaguely wrong, but you can never be sure of it. Because it kept on leaving these brief clues everywhere, but not close enough that you would actually very much take notice of them, or that it was too far /to/ take notice of them. It was a small feeling, at the edge of your mind, which you just can't see clearly but it's there like an itch… a mosquito bite that can't be scratched.

                " What on earth are you talking about?" Sasuke said, looking at him in bewilderment. " You're not making sense at all!" 

                Naruto glared at him angrily, knowing that he didn't really hate Sasuke, but he hated the boy for doing this to him.

                " SHUT UP!! You're making no sense!!!" Naruto yelled. " And I don't know what's wrong with you, you changed so much!! First you save me, then you freaking harass me and apologize; now you pretend nothing happened at all!!!! YOU make no sense, not me!!! NOTHING makes sense now!!!!"

                Sasuke stared at him, beginning to make his way towards him.

                " Wha--?"

                Naruto quickly jumped off the bed and pushed Sasuke forcefully to the ground.

                " I HATE YOU!!!" He yelled furiously and quickly ran out of the room.

                Sasuke lay sprawled on the ground, staring after the retreating boy.

                " What the heck was that??"

TBC

******************************************************************************

Geh??? Yeah^^ this thing is ACTUALLY developing a plot^^

Yep, I finally have the whole thing figured out and it's up to you guys to read the rest and find out *grin*

This chapter is probably the shortest yet because I didn't feel like expanding more on this,  but DUH??? Naruto is angry, there's something weird going on with Sasuke, and Sakura and Kakashi are being the annoying matchmaker ppl they are^_________^ 

What's the problem???^^

Well….

Actually, the reason this is so short is because I have that damn writer's block again… the kind that doesn't go away unless I get lots of reviews???

*smiles sweetly*

Holy Shit!! I'm really going through desperate terms to get my reviews ne???

I'm just kidding, I appreciate the reviews of course because I like to see how you think of my stories???

*looks around wearily* Tell me Tell me??? Does it suck?????????

Yah^^ Just write reviews when you feel like it, I won't blame you if you don't.

It's ALRITE to be lazy *grin*

NO PRESSURE!!! I mean, I might feel bad and all but…*looks down to the ground*

^_____________^

CIAO!!!

C-chan

* * *

PAGE \# "'Page: '#'  
'"  [A1] so


	5. T

Erm… Naruto does NOT belong to me^^ It belongs to I-can-never-remember-his-name person and we will all bow to his glory right now…

*bows*

This also has shounen-ai and yaoi and YES!! This is going to get veeery dark, actually^^ It already is…

It may even have RAPE themes 0___________o *gasp*

Heh, but it depends on my mood and even if it did, it's only hinted at. The only reason it IS there would be very important to the story so don't like all spaz on me or something ^____^;;

This is dedicated to my beta Koganei!! Who is going through hard times right now so we must ALL PRAY 4 HER!!!!!!! Cuz we ALL LUV her don't we???????? Hah! Well I do!

This is also dedicated to ugh,*sigh* Umm… Mikie… for being me… err… inspiration and so-called helping my with my Hikago story… 

Shhhhhhh… he forcing me to say this!! DUN BELIEVE THOSE WORDS!!!!

*gets muffled*

MGAAAAAAAAH!!!

Naruto growled to himself angrily, unsure of what to do. How many times has he rushed out of the stupid temple anyways, only to find himself wandering around a stupid forest with nothing to throw his frustration upon?

He knew he had over reacted and he wouldn't exactly blame Sasuke if he thought that he was some lunatic maniac right now… but somehow, he still believed it was Sasuke's fault. Naruto tried to dismiss it as his childish stubbornness to push the blame on other people, but he had grown out of that years ago and can safely say that he could judge things a little more fairly now… yes, a little…

It was perfectly hard to believe so many things could have happened in one day, why is everything happening all at once? Why is everything going wrong at once??

" Fuck! I. Hate. Him."

Naruto snarled as he was almost blinded by rage, slamming his fist into the tree with a surprising force. He continued to walk swiftly, not noticing his bloodied hand, which he pushed back into his pocket. He also didn't notice the rough fist indent that had pressed its way deep into the tree.

But someone else did. And that person was chuckling merrily.

******************************************************************************

When Naruto got back, no more words were passed between the two rivals. Kakashi and Sakura remained worried at the sudden change, no longer did Naruto attempt to rouse annoyance out of Sasuke. He just flat out ignored Sasuke's presense. Sasuke continued to watch Naruto carefully though. Even if it was carefully concealed, Kakashi could see the flicker of worry in Sasuke's usually cool eyes every time he risked a glance on the other boy's direction. But Naruto remained true to his words, it really seemed as though he genuinely "hated" Sasuke and the stoic boy was certain not to make the first advance in fixing their broken relationship.

The remaining two days at the temple was quiet and restful. For everyone else other than Sasuke and Naruto though. Kakashi knew of the troubled mumbles and consistent tossing and turning in sleep, for both of them. 

Times when they were together were quiet affairs where voices were clipped the few times they were heard. Neither of the rivals acknowledged each other's presence. On the day they trained and Kakashi had ordered them to have a brief fight with their newly learned techniques, he had hoped to mend the hopelessly ruined relationship they had. But barely casting a mere glance at each other, they both downright disagreed and proceeded to work alone instead.

As much as Kakashi felt sympathy for Sasuke for he had reason to believe this matter wasn't so simple as a small disagreement between the two. If it had been, Naruto would have forgotten everything have a good meal. Kakashi was most concerned about Naruto- he almost became a double of Sasuke. His eyes had lost the defiant cheeriness and morphed into two orbs of dull emotionless blues. He was not lively as he was before and neither did he pick fights. When he worked, he worked without speaking and when they were left alone, He would either lock himself in his room or silently creep outside to who-knows-where.

Naruto was losing himself, and Kakashi really began to wonder what exactly had happened.

The day they went back to the village and everyone went back to their respected homes. Kakashi hurried to Iruka to find the mystery behind all this.

" Ne, Kakashi. What a surprise to see you." Iruka said tiredly as he opened the door a crack, a flicker of annoyance in his eyes. " And at 3 o-clock in the morning too. How very considerate of you. But may we leave this matter in the morning, when the sun is shining and the birds are singing and people aren't willing to kill anyone who would disturb them from their well-deserved sleep." Iruka shut the door quite rudely before Kakashi could get a word out.

Kakashi pounded impatiently at the door again.

He heard with a satisfied smirk hurried footsteps towards the front door. Iruka swung open the door and his eyes swept over Kakashi with an irritated expression. His irritation quickly changed to concern when he saw the grave seriousness that was embedded on Kakashi's half-hidden features.

" Come in." Iruka sighed as he moved aside and gestured his slim arm languidly towards the couch. Kakashi walked in with a murmur of thanks and fell back onto the lavender colour chair. Iruka took seat in front of Kakashi and peered at him curiously.

" I just came back from my little vacation with my team." Kakashi stated blandly. Iruka nodded slowly. 

" And…?"

" And…" Kakashi took a deep breath before starting. " I know I shouldn't be as worried and flustered as I am now… I mean, on the outside, it seems like a slight disagreement between them but I can't help but think there are something very wrong with the picture here and— "

" What are you trying to say Kakashi?" Iruka interrupted, patting the other man's arm to calm him down. He felt extremely uncomfortable; it wasn't often when Kakashi was actually this concerned about something.

Kakashi looked away as though embarrassed.

" It's about Naruto and Sasuke…" Kakashi continued on about how strangely they've been acting. But the time he finished, Iruka furrowed his brows thoughtfully.

" It seems to me that it's just another common disagreement between team mates, like you have mentioned before. I'm sure that they'll get over it soon enough, Naruto is known for his hot-headedness."

Kakashi shook his head. " It's not only that, there is just something I'm missing." Kakashi argued. "I feel as though someone's there watching us right now. Laughing at us… Because he's hiding something from us and it's… it's going to harm Naruto! I just know it." He explained worriedly.

Iruka continued to think for a while, his lips white and his body tense.

" Besides… Naruto may lose his temper easily, but he is not one to hold grudges for so long. And he's holding so much anger within him right now. He's changed Iruka." Kakashi muttered.

" How about this, I'll go over to Naruto in the morning and talk to him. I'm sure he'll tell me what happened." Iruka said slowly, thinking his words over. It was true, there was certainly something wrong and Kakashi was not one to lie or assume.

Kakashi suddenly grabbed his sleeve, his eyes darting back and forth worriedly from the door to Iruka.

" Go now Iruka. I'm really worried about this." Kakashi said lowly. Iruka smiled lightly and stood up, gently brushing away Kakashi's grip but grabbing the man's hand in the process. Kakashi looked almost startled for a second, but his features softened at the warmth of Iruka's hand. He smiled tiredly, seemingly a lot older than he really was.

" I guess I'm over reacting am I?" He finally asked somewhat sheepishly. 

Iruka smiled back.

" Not over reacting… just overly concerned. And it's not always a bad thing, but I think we should give Naruto right now his rest." Iruka pulled his hand away to nudge at Kakashi gently at the shoulder. "And I think you should give me by beauty sleep right now."

Kakashi chuckled merrily, his usual self shone brightly as he shrugged his worries off and walked towards the doorway. Though his hand lingered on the knob as he pulled the door open. He glanced back at Iruka for a minute, opening his mouth as though to say something. He shook a bit like he was rethinking whatever was about to come out of his mouth and grinned instead.

" Go have your beauty sleep or whatever now… but remember, go talk to Naruto tomorrow. I personally think that you will be able to figure all this out." 

Iruka waved him away with mock impatience. 

" Ok ok, go now! Or I won't be able to wake up tomorrow."

Kakashi glided away quickly with a cheery wave, leaving Iruka alone with troubled thoughts, and troubled feelings.

*******************************************************************************8

Iruka knocked at the door three times and waited at the front step for Naruto to open the door. He was actually planning to meet his former student any way; it has been quite a while since they had last talked. The door opened slowly and Naruto peered out hesitantly. His eyes stopped at Iruka and darted wildly around a moment. Iruka knew for a fact that that meant Naruto was hastily trying to find an excuse to not talk to him.

" Hey, can I come in?" Iruka started. Naruto sighed.

" 'Kay." Naruto answered dully as he opened the door a little more widely and moved aside. Iruka went in; noting to himself that it was very true, what Kakashi had said. Naruto's eyes really had dulled exceptionally, and the dark rings under his eyes certainly proved that he's been having restless nights the last few days.

Iruka saw Naruto hurry to the kitchen as he got in and looked around for a place to sit. The place was very clean, a large difference from the last time he had stepped into the house. Iruka shifted uncomfortably, he had been to Naruto's home a number of times. But he felt so alien in it now. He never realized that messiness could be rather welcoming sometimes. 

Naruto walked out tiredly, swaggering a little as he tried to balance the two cups of tea on the tray and placed in on a the dining table. There was only one seat there and Naruto quickly dragged a stool over for himself. Iruka walked over to take his place at the table, he took the cup and took a long tentative sip out of it. Naruto watched him carefully.

" Is there a reason you have graced me with your presence." Naruto said coolly. Iruka winced at the coldness of his comment, yes… there was certainly something going on here. He decided to start off casually.

" Your home seems a lot… cleaner now." Iruka fought down to urge to say "colder." " When did you fix it up?" Naruto continued to stare at him with those steely eyes.

" I cleaned it up when we got back yesterday. But to the point please Iruka." Iruka watched Naruto with a twinge of disappointment. That cold politeness, it was not Naruto at all.

" Iruka? When have you stopped calling me Iruka-sensei?" Iruka asked amused, though he didn't really feel that way inside.

Naruto smiled a very non-Naruto smile.

" I have no reason to, you are no longer my teacher."

" Did something happen during your little trip?" Iruka asked straight out. "To the point" he said, well now he is. Naruto's cold expression flickered for a second to an unfathomable look, but it returned by to it's usual state immediately.

" Nothing, nothing of course," Naruto quickly replied. With that, he began to get up and gave a sorry smile. A smile that didn't reach his eyes, Iruka noticed.

" I'm sorry, I have something to do right now, so will it be okay if I am left alone?" Naruto said softly as he began to walk towards his room. Iruka stood up as well behind him.

" What happened between you and Sasuke!" Iruka called. Naruto suddenly froze and tensed up. 

" How- How did you know?" Naruto asked quietly, not facing Iruka.

" I don't know, but I want to know." Iruka told him sincerely. " I am so worried about you, Kakashi came to me—"

Naruto suddenly whirled around in fury, his eyes blazing and Iruka hoped that the old Naruto was back. Except, Naruto quickly turned around again as he regained composure.

" Kakashi… told you, that bastard."

Naruto stood there for a minute in silence before he walked into the room and shut the door quietly.

Iruka stared at the door for a few minutes. Yes… there was definitely something wrong with Naruto. And the best thing to do now, is to talk to Sasuke.

" I have no idea what is wrong with him." Sasuke answered coldly. Iruka sighed impatiently.

" You told me that 5 times already!! But I'm asking you if you remember if you've done anything that could have caused him to be like that!" Iruka said. 

Sasuke stared at him bewilderingly.

" Why do you automatically think it was I who made him like that!!"

" I don't! It's just that it's you who he's been acting particularly cold to." Iruka explained quickly. Sasuke bit his lip thoughtfully as he tapped his fingers against the table. Iruka was getting really irritated with Sasuke, he was almost as bad as Naruto. Actually, Iruka thought, well he was worse. At least Naruto offered him tea. Which was frighteningly polite of him, Iruka shuddered for a minute feeling as if he didn't really know Naruto at all.

" Well, perhaps he was mad at me because I found him when he was in the forest while sick. Maybe he couldn't stand the fact that he owed me something." Sasuke said slowly, Iruka noticed a twinge of anger in his voice.

" Yes… Kakashi told me about that. But is there anything else?"

" Right before he yelled that he hated me. He said all this weird stuff about how I was harassing him or something, then apologizing and whatever crap. I just assumed he was going a little crazy, which isn't exactly surprising when it comes to him." 

Iruka found this information highly interesting. " Did you do anything he said you did??" Sasuke immediately blushed, to Iruka's shock.

" N-No!! Of course not!! I didn't even see him since I helped him back when he got lost. I went to talk to Sakura and spent the rest of the day trying to find him. When I Did find him, he was already like that!!!" Sasuke stuttered defiantly. Iruka raised a brow. Was he telling the truth??

Sasuke sharply looked away and got up in the same fashion as Naruto. " I'd appreciate it if I had some time alone please." He stated. Iruka got up and bowed slightly, Sasuke did the same, although much more stiffly.

" Thank you for your help." Iruka said as he walked out the door.

" Your welcome." Sasuke answered curtly before he slammed the door shut.

Iruka scratched his head for a minute as he thought this all over. There was definitely something wrong, and it isn't only about the two. There was something else that just seemed out of place and Iruka was determined to find out what it was.

*****************************************************************************

There was a low steady knocking at his door and Naruto climbed out of bed tiredly to answer it. It was in the middle of the night! Who the hell in their right mind would visit him!

Naruto shuffled to the door and called through the door.

" Who is it?"

There was a short silence.

" It's me." 

Naruto's eyes widened and he swung open the door hastily. As he had expected, Sasuke stood there, looking rather smug if he could say so himself. Naruto glared at him.

" What are you doing here?" He barked resting his hands on his hips. Sasuke looked up, with a sorry expression on his face. Naruto didn't care to register this in his mind.

" I- I wanted to talk." Sasuke said softly, the cool night breeze lifting his dark strands up slightly. Naruto paused for a minute, he had been meaning to talk to Sasuke anyways… about what had happened.

" I hope you're not expecting me to apologize or anything and…"

Sasuke lifted his eyes brows in surprise, and lifted his arm to brush his hair aside. 

" No of course not. I'm here… just to talk…" He said again quietly. Naruto watched him suspiciously.

" At--," Naruto looked at his watch, " Two o-clock in the morning Sasuke-kuuun… That's rather strange of you." Naruto said slowly with a small smirk. Sasuke's hair had once again fallen on his reddening face due to the breeze, but he didn't care to brush it away. Naruto's hand twitched with a sudden impulse to push it aside to reveal those dark eyes again.

" Shit Naruto, just let me in." Sasuke said lowly, Naruto was pleased at the abashed ness that he had roused out of Sasuke. He thought for a minute and decided to let him in.

When they got in, Naruto didn't offer him a seat so Sasuke stood instead, gently closing the door behind him. Naruto raised a brow at him, feeling suddenly as though their usual roles were switched, as though he was now the dominating cool Sasuke while the boy in front of him was a mirror copy of him. It was a weird feeling and Naruto began to enjoy it.

" What's there to talk about Sasuke?" Naruto said quietly in an almost teasing tone.

Naruto saw Sasuke hunched shape shrug and felt rather uncomfortable with the dimply-lit room, with the moon its only source of light. He made his way to the dark silhouette of the lamp beside him and switched it on. A warm orange glow flooded the room and Naruto gestured towards the dining table where he was talking with Iruka earlier. Sasuke followed his lead and they both sat down stiffly.

" I wanted to talk about… ummm…" Sasuke seemed a little stuck with his words. Naruto sat silently, wondering if he was actually dreaming or not. Naruto. A sudden wave of nausea hit him and Naruto swallowed back the urge to throw up. He began to realize that sometimes when he was with Sasuke, he felt a sudden urge to vomit. 

Sasuke seemed to notice how Naruto paled and leaned over.

" Are you okay?" Sasuke asked lightly, concern in his voice. Naruto felt very ill now, even worse now that Sasuke's face was only mere millimetres away from his face. But there… there was something seriously wrong with this scenario…

Was Sasuke actually asking if he was feeling alright??

Naruto blinked how unreal that sounded before another wave of unbearable nausea hit his stomach. There was something horribly wrong, something he was missing and Naruto understood that now.

But…

He slowly winced, hissing in pain as he clutched at his stomach. 

" It… It feels like there's something tearing at my flesh right now… it hurts so much…" Naruto whimpered as he doubled up in pain and wrapped his arms around. It hurt so much… There was something ripping through him, trying to get out and-and… God… it hurt…

But he had to know.

" Who- Who are you…" Naruto asked raggedly with clenched teeth.

There was a dead silence for a moment, with only Naruto's harsh uneven breaths to break through the air. But Naruto's ears were ringing, the blood in his head rushing about as though it was being pulled apart. Pain… So much pain…

Sasuke slowly got up and walked over to Naruto. He didn't speak and Naruto couldn't see his face at the moment. Because the light didn't reach his face… it didn't reach his eyes…

He could see him smile though, a sly evil smile that he never knew--… 

God… Sasuke…

" It hurts…" Naruto rasped out again, his voice hoarse and broken.

Naruto's eyes widened as Sasuke's fingers suddenly rested under his cheek and his face was tilted upwards. Naruto's stomach lurched and he gave a startled gasp, partly out of the pain but mostly because of what he saw.

Blackness…

Sasuke swiftly bent down, but his face… it was still dark. The light should have been shining on his facing, Naruto was supposed to see his face!! But it wasn't there, it was shadowed… 

Shadowed… even in the light… 

Naruto looked at the face hovering for a few seconds above him, he took in the darkened features that he could still pick out and that damn smile… 

The perfectly straight teeth that glinted dangerously and the lips that were pulled up in a wicked sneer… Naruto was stunned with shock and horror, because he couldn't tear his eyes away from that face. 

He almost failed to hear the harsh whispery words that slowly wrapped around him with its cold relentless fingers and choked him.

" It hurts… does it?"

He almost failed to realize the lips that were suddenly crushed against his own roughly… 

Almost…

Naruto cried out angrily, his previous burning pain nearly forgotten as he tried to push the other boy away. A heavy new kind of pain furiously hit him again. He couldn't breath, his insides were churning and tightening and god… he was going to be ripped into bits and pieces…

Those lips that were pressed against his, they radiated such burning unbearable heat… Naruto felt it course through his veins as it shot all through his collapsing body. There was a sudden explosion in his body that was more painful that anything else, it was so terribly and utterly painful.

A moan was torn away from his throat, clawing at his flesh in the intense agony, his mouth vibrating against the other, that fire… it wasn't only from Sasuke. It was from him, rising and burning and engulfing everything inside of him.

His body was an infernal of fire…

********************************************************************************

Naruto woke up with a jump, his pajamas stuck to him like a second skin due to the wet sheen of sweat that had covered his body…He quickly pressed his fingers against his lips and shut his eyes tightly.

That pain… it felt so real.

Naruto quickly flung his damp sheets aside and relished in the coolness that had graced his flushed body. Naruto breathed in deeply, his head bowed. His hair hung in clumps that fell limply against his face. He choked in a sob and wiped his wet cheeks with his sleeve.

He couldn't remember his dream though. It was so important, he knew that but just couldn't remember it. All he could grasp out of it was an intense pain…

Naruto looked out the open window beside his bed into the night sky.

The moon hung as a softly glowing orb in the ink black sky, but there was not even one single star in sight.

Wooooow 0________o

I seriously don't know where that came from and I KNOW I KNOW!! It kinda un-natural how Naruto and Sasuke keeps on acting weird all the time. But I LIKE them that way!! So HAH!!

But really… I HATE how I did Naruto in this chapter!! I totally totally despise it because it's all wrong and this part is supposed to be how he acts "later" on… not NOW!!

But it's too late to change it because I'm seriously too lazy to and I have exams coming up.

Thank you for ALL the reviews!! How very kind of you all^________^

So I'll be VERY happy if you review me again… cuz I really Luv you all, I DO!!

Oh yes, this thing may not make sense now but It kinda will later on… I Hope so because I myself have no idea where the heck this is going^^;

Hey!! How about u guys guess in the reviews why the hell everything is happening now!! Then perhaps I can steal it!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!! *cough* NOT!!!

________

Meh, oh yes^^;I read pretty far in Naruto but I might still have my info wrong…. Because… well because I don't care for little bits in the manga that would affect this story…

Because if I did, I'll go crazy and my head will explode.

And if my head explodes, it will mean two things:

1)My brains will platter onto my computer and most likely destroy it.

2)The horror!! I won't be able to CONTINUE this!!! @_@

Eh, whatever^_______^ Still tell me if there are mistakes in my story so I can correct them… cuz we can AAAAAALL learn from our mistakes can we????

NOT!!!

^_^ Nevermind me, I'm just a little crazy right now^^;\

Note from Koganei: C-chan, u babble worse than me ^_^() ~.~ Me fine, so dun worry and me LUV ur fic so SHUT UP and KEEP WRITING! Its awesome and since Im ur BETA, I'll REALLY TRY 2 make sure there r no mistakes! So THERE!!!! XP


	6. O

Wow^______^

Such an amazingly long chapter… would that make up for me not having it out for SUCH a long time??

*backs away from glares* EEEEEERRR… I guess not….

^______^

I'm soooo tired from typing so this rambling will be short, my next chapter would be coming on less than a week…. Well it really depends on how many reviews I get^^;;

So MORE reviews!! It makes my fucked up life better… No wait… 

*coughcough*

I have a wonderful life

with really kool friends 

and nice family members… *stops reciting from a sheet of paper*

Happiness.

That's my poem… It was supposed to be my English paper about how people don't know how to appreciate some shit I don't really care for right now…

I started writing…. And writing… and this is what came out.

My intelligence just about levels to a 3 year-old's doesn't it?

Special thanks to my Koganei, who is my wonderful beta!!!!! *glomp*.

And ALSO to Wusai and Nora D, who were a great help!!

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Naruto trudged along the path, kicking the dirt as he walked. He was going to some weird group survival trip with his old classmates, it had been arranged by Iruka so that they could test out their newly learned skills or something.

Naruto had been reluctant to go, but something along the lines of Iruka threatening to never buy him ramen again forced him to go to the stupid camping trip anyways. Naruto looked up at the skies, which was a bright blue. There was not a cloud in the sky. Naruto made a face; it's going to be so damn hot today!

When he arrived at the small grass area just at the edge of the forest where he had been told to meet, he found his old classmates standing there, all twenty seven of them. Yes, he was feeling peachy, just peachy, despite the fact that his left eye didn't seem to want to stop twitching.

All of them were talking to each other excitedly and friends who haven't seen each other in a long time chatted like they hadn't separated at all. Naruto found Sakura at the corner speaking to Ino; they were arguing, not at all shocking.

Naruto caught the sight of Sasuke as well sitting at the rock by himself, all isolated and alone as he always was; Naruto wanted to gag. But he made a point of not acknowledging his team mate at all and stood at a side quietly.

A loud clap interrupted the excited chattering and everything went silent. Iruka stood on top of a small boulder with his back facing the opening of the forest, smiling brightly at his former students. 

" I'm glad you all arrived today." Iruka's gaze settled on Naruto as he spoke and Naruto looked away quickly. "We have been blessed with a beautiful day today and I believe we should use it to our advantage." Iruka started, and the excitement in his students grew.

" This event was something me and Kakashi-sensei planned up to test your newly learned skills that your team masters have taught you. You will be paired up to venture into the forest and stay there for 2 days and 2 nights. As you all know, this forest has been forbidden to you for a very good reason. Strange things and animals dwell inside that would be quite threatening to your safety. So I'd advise you to not let your egos bloat to the size that they would lead you to wrong decisions." Iruka paused effectively, and murmurs in the crowd rose to a hum.

" But this should be a fun event, a good chance for those who haven't yet pushed their skills to their fullest potentials and a good test for your navigational skills. Whenever one of you may need serious help, give a good yell or whistle and we will find our way to you." Iruka smiled and pulled a list out of his back pocket.

" This list of partners took some time for me and Kakashi-sensei to think up of and I'm sure that some of you may like it and some of you may not. But we are confident on our choices." Iruka looked down onto his list.

" First pair, Yomanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura."

He went on down the list for a while.

Naruto found himself crossing his fingers and wishing hard that he wouldn't be paired up with Sasuke.

" Not Sasuke, not Sasuke." He muttered quietly.

" Uzumaki Naruto and…"

To this, Naruto looked up to find Iruka staring down at him with worried eyes.

" Nara Shikimaru." Naruto exhaled in relief and caught Shikimaru's exited grin. He smiled back.

It turned out that Sasuke ended up with Amurame Shino, which was reasonable because they were both rather introverted and probably glad since they didn't have to worry about the other getting into their businesses. But every time Naruto glanced at Shino, he couldn't explain the slight jealousy that filled him. 

When Iruka finished and waved for the start, Shikimaru ran over to Naruto flashing him a smile. Naruto realized that the hostility of some of his classmates had before for him had diminished. He wondered why.

" Hey Naruto! We're partners eh??" Shikimaru said, jogging up to stand beside him. They both looked up at the tall towering rolls of trees before them and Naruto peered at the other boy nervously.

" Scared?" 

Shikimaru paused before shaking his head. " Nah. You?"

Naruto shook his head as well. " Nope."

As they began to walk around the edge to search for another entrance into the forest where their classmates haven't gone through already, Naruto noticed at the corner of his eye that Sasuke and Shino had ran in already, separately.

He should have known anyways; Sasuke was never really for the team thing.

Shikimaru waved for him to catch up as they stood beside a large bush.

" The forest is really dense on the outside, the trees are much too packed in tightly together for us to squeeze in. But I figure we can crawl through the bushes?" He said uneasily, not too sure of his idea. Naruto shrugged.

" Yah, sure." He said carelessly, noticing how Shikimaru's face brightened as he did. Naruto made the firm conclusion that Ino didn't really agree with his ideas very often.

They both got down to their knees and brushed away the first leaves before the dove in. Naruto crawled quickly, ignoring the painful scratches and marks the sharp branches made on his arms as he made his way to where he hoped is inside the forest. He heard the rustling of leaves every so often behind him and knew Shikimaru was close behind.

He was more than relieved when they finally got out, though bloodied and scratched. Shikimaru came out seconds after he did and they both brushed off the leaves and thorns on their clothes.

" We just had to choose the thorn bush didn't we?" Naruto muttered darkly, wincing as he pulled out a thorn that had pushed in deeply into his arm. Shikimaru answered with a yelp of pain as well, and tried to get out the twigs that were tangled in his hair.

Naruto looked around the forest, it was almost like any other except trees huddled densely together as though in fear. Naruto understood why it would be impossible to train in such an area- it was because there was hardly any space left. 

The trees shot up high on top of them, but only the tips of the trees were full of leaves and life as they are the only part that can receive sunlight. Naruto shivered, the bare skeletons of the trees that surrounded him, they reminded him of cages that would trap him and never let go.

Beside him, Shikimaru shuddered as well.

As they ventured in deeper, the forest began to age; the younger sketetal trees were gone and replaced by enormous dead-weights of old trees, standing there in a wise kingly fashion as though they've been there since the beginning of time. Century-old vines twined their way around the wizened rough bark of the thick trees, and dull green moss planted itself nearly everywhere. There were small buds of tree younglings as well as curiously shaped leaves that yawned out of the ground in bright greens. Naruto and Shikimaru had to climb up over with some difficulty over the huge roots that had pulled themselves out of the moist soil.

Wisps of light that had been able to pass through the thousands of leaves sheltering them from the sun ran across the leaf-covered ground like cool waves of water. And drips of what sounded like morning dew fell from surrounding bushes. There was a low hush around him, as though nothing at all has ever disturbed the enchanting place to learn of the secrets that dwelled in the very whispers of the trees. 

" This place is old and wise, full of dangerous secrets of the past." Shikimaru whispered, and Naruto nodded in agreement. They stood still, lifting their heads to admire the awe-startling immaculate beauty that was around them.

" It's so beautiful though. Like some hidden place where man has never been able to find and therefore not destroy the natural beauty, so that the long years it spent could nurture it gently to what it is now." Naruto said with a hushed voice, really reluctant to speak at all to not disturb the silent grace.

Shikimaru turned to grin at him.

" Naruto? A poet??" He said softly, before turning wide eyes to Naruto. " Why the hell are we whispering anyways??"

Naruto shrugged.

They continued to climb over the mountains of thick dark roots and admired their surroundings.

Soon though, they had to stop and rest to catch their breaths. The huge trees had shaded them from the sun and produced it's own wet coolness, but it still didn't take a long for the two boys to rest from exhaustion. 

They sat into a large depression of a colossal tree, the largest they had seen yet. It was magnificent; life itself seemed to breath through the nicks, cuts and jags of the old graying bark. Naruto knew that it was his favorite; it was fortunate that a pond of clear stunningly cold water was at the base of the tree. Naruto had not noticed it at first, until he saw the leaves and sky on the ground and found out it was the crystal reflection of what was above them. The water was perfectly still and flat, only small circles sculpted themselves on the surface whenever a drop of water dribbled from the tree onto the pond.

Naruto let out a long and deep sigh, swiftly wiping away beads of sweat that had rolled down his face and dropped to the ground grateful of rest. He leaned against the rough bark of the tree and rested his eyes. But he suddenly heard a scraping noise beside him and opened his eyes tiredly to see what Shikimaru was doing.

He wasn't surprised that Shikimaru was carving on the tree, but he was rather shocked by "what" he carved on the tree. He smiled slyly.

" Shikimaru! You like Ino ne??"

Shikimaru turned away sheepishly from his carving of his name and Ino's name on the tree and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

" Kinda, but it's not like Ino would ever notice me anyways with that Sasuke around." He said with a defeated sigh. Naruto pulled himself up and laid a hand on the rough long scrapes that spelled out the names attentively. Without raising his eyes from the carving, he spoke softly.

" Doesn't this place make you feel like you're in a godly presence? It's like the trees themselves were divine and watching down on us." 

Shikimaru nodded, though he was slightly confused at Naruto's sudden change of mood. Naruto crooked his head to a side to grin at him.

" I felt strongest with this tree when I saw it, so maybe it's the most powerful, and maybe its God will that will grant your wish!!" He exclaimed cheerfully. Shikimaru stared at the boy whom he was brought up to hate, resent and look down upon. But maybe… Naruto wasn't as bad as everyone thought.

He smiled as well and nodded eagerly.

" Yokatta!"

Naruto froze all of a sudden as did Shikimaru.

" Do you… hear something?"

A low rumbling growl sounded behind them, shaking their very nerves as both boys stood still facing the tree, unwilling to look back. Harsh heavy breaths blew across their necks, chilling them as their skin prickled with fear.

Naruto was the first to slowly turn around. His eyes narrowed, glowing with a fighting energy he needed for so long at the tall towering creature that stood in front of him. Shikimaru turned around too, though he was shivering with fear as he gazed up at the creature.

The animal was somewhat like a bear; except it's long slit red eyes glinted with such malice and such demonic wickedness that it shouldn't really be compared with anything at all. Large bulging muscles pulsing with brute strength and bristling dark-brown fur covered the large form. The creature's snout was raised into the air as it opened its jaws widely, showing off rows of teeth as sharp as knives and roared a deafening ear-splitting sound.

Naruto's hand quickly rested onto his kunai as he prepared himself for battle. He glanced at Shikimaru to find him breathing unevenly and his eyes bright with shielded fear. Naruto's brows raised in puzzlement.

" Get your weapon out!!" He whispered urgently to Shikimaru, but the boy stood frozen, his eyes still fixated on the creature.

" No, fool. Run! This is an assalain, a creature who causes terror even in the bravest of men. It's supposed to be extinct though, I read about it. Also about the fact that it can kill a full-fledged shinobi in less than a minute." Shikimaru turned terror-filled eyes towards Naruto.

" RUN!!" He shot off in the opposite direction as Naruto did as well mere seconds later. They were quick, but the creature was faster and more experienced. The assalain got on all fours and raced after Naruto.

Naruto ran as he had never run before, ducking past lowly hung branches and climbing over large roots. He could hear the animal bounding behind him, each astoundingly elephantine step shaking the ground itself. Damn, the assitit or whatever the hell it was called was catching up to him.

Naruto searched urgently in his mind for a way to get away when a strong lean arm wrapped around his waist and ran off in another direction in such a dashing speed that Naruto was stunned for a minute. 

Whoever held him agilely raced through the trees, darting around over branches and rocks as though acutely aware of everything that was around him or her. Naruto couldn't help but notice the whistle of deft air passing his ears, and the way he felt like he was almost flying.

Naruto restrained a gasp when the person skillfully ducked an incoming branch that would've taken their heads off at the speed that they were going. Suddenly remembering that they were running away from something, Naruto swiftly turned his head around to see if the creature was still behind them. But there was nothing there, and his savior dashed to a stop beside a tree and dropped him heavily to the ground mercilessly.

Naruto lifted his head to catch sight to whoever saved him and gasped in horror. 

" S-Sasuke!!" Naruto exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief. Sasuke didn't even spare a glance at him as he peered around the tree to see if the creature was still there. Naruto glared at him hatefully, crossing his arms over his chest.

" Damn you!! Why did you come?! I could have taken that thing down-" Suddenly crouching down beside him, Sasuke gripped Naruto's chin and held his gaze level with his own blazing eyes.

" Shut up! That thing could kill you in a second. Now stay quiet; it has the hearing of 10 men put together." He hissed. Tempted to punch the bastard's face in, Naruto pulled his chin free instead after shooting Sasuke a dirty look.

Sasuke stood again to search for the creature, his eyes darting around alertly for any signs of movement. When there was none, he exhaled in relief and looked down at Naruto.

" How the hell did you get that 'thing' chasing after you?!!" Sasuke asked furiously, his eyes flaming. Naruto ignored the question and sneered.

" Why are you alone?? Did you partner abandon you??" He mocked bitterly. Sasuke stared at him in confusion for a second before he slid to the ground as well.

" No. We decided it would be better if we went separately."

" I would expect no less from the great Sasuke." Naruto muttered before looking away, increasingly uncomfortable with the fact that his goal of not speaking to Sasuke for the rest of his life wasn't successful.

Sasuke made no attempt to show Naruto that he had heard his bitter comment; he only leaned back against the tree, relaxing comfortably. 

Naruto looked at the relaxing boy, who had his eyes closed and almost looked like he was sleeping. Then at his surroundings, suddenly hit by the fact that he had no clue where Sasuke had brought him. He and Shikimaru had pulled at twigs and did things like that to mark their trail so they could find their way back. At this point, he had two choices: get away from Sasuke but get lost on his own, or stay with Sasuke since he was reasonably sure Sasuke knew where they were.

Naruto also realized that he had left his backpack behind in his haste to run away from the assa-shithole. Damn it!! He was going to have to rely on Sasuke for food and water. Naruto felt bile gather up at the pit of his throat at the thought of begging Sasuke for food.

" I brought extra food," Sasuke said coolly, his eyes still closed.

Naruto flushed hotly. Fine! He'll just eat all his damn food and water!! Thirsty, he reached for the water bottle nearby, only to have Sasuke's hand close over his. Sasuke responded clearly to his questioning glance.

" Drink what you need, because even though I may have extra food and water, there is still not enough for two people if one of us should drink more than we should."

A sudden fury flushed Naruto's face red, and untrusting of his voice, Naruto responded in the only way he could allow himself. He reached for the bottle and raised it to his lips, pausing only briefly before he gulped it greedily, uncaring of the water that had spilled from the corner of his mouth onto his shirt.

He didn't speak when Sasuke rose up, though his eyes followed everyone movement Sasuke had taken. Naruto remembered their last incident in his room at the temple, both of them… He can't help but feel extremely awkward. But a few minutes after Sasuke had disappeared behind the trees (Naruto was sure he'd be back since he left everything behind), he crossed his arms over his chest and fell asleep from fatigue.

Sasuke swiftly walked back to where Naruto was with a pile of twigs under his arms. He looked up to the darkening sky. He needed to build the fire with haste, it was night-time soon and creatures that did not dwell in the day would come out. Tossing the wood onto the ground beside where Naruto lay, he began to work diligently on making the sticks stand upright and made sure to put dry leaves underneath. With two slabs of rock he had found nearby, he smacked them together roughly for a spark. In no time, he got a crackling warm fire going. Right in time, too- the forest grew blacker by the minute.

Sasuke sat down onto the ground with his legs crossed and glanced across the campfire toward the spot where Naruto was sleeping peacefully. 

He carefully scrutinized the boy's still face. His skin was pale, but it was softened in the sun to a healthy golden hue. His hair lay in unruly strands framing his face, the heavy gold locks seeming to hold the sun's radiance began to change into rich colours of orange under the wavy colours of the fire. Sasuke watched the long eyelashes under the closed eyelids and remembered that the boy had wide large eyes the color of the sky and finely shaped lips that formed brilliant smiles the few times when it was not occupied with sneering and making horrible faces.

His gaze lingered on Naruto's face a few moments longer. He didn't forget about the passionate anger on Naruto's face the time when he yelled at him and told him that he hated him. He definitely didn't forget the aching throbs in his heart every time he saw the boy after that.

Suddenly frowning, Sasuke lay down and wrapped a nearby blanket around him. He didn't know why he cared for the other boy so much. It's been like that ever since he had thrown himself in front of Naruto, taking Haku's deathly attacks when he realized he thought of Naruto as so much more. At first he thought of it as only a growing respect for the boy. But what really is respect to him?? 

Naruto's eyelids suddenly fluttered open in a child-like innocence and looked around. Sasuke held his breath when those wide bright blue orbs stared at him before they narrowed.

Sasuke frowned sternly, knitting his brows in thought before he spoke.

" Cook the food. I found the meat and the cooking supplies are mine. Since you will probably eat my food, then do your share." Sasuke ordered diplomatically.

Naruto stared at him a minute before he looked at the lifeless furry animal on the ground a few feet away from him. He shivered in repulsion.

" You killed it, so cook it yourself." Naruto retorted in mild indignation, refusing to react to the flash of anger in Sasuke's eyes.

His dark eyes turning to ice, Sasuke looked the hare by the ears and took his kunai out. Unwilling to admit that he did not have the stomach to even watch someone skin an innocent creature, Naruto flipped over to face the tree and fell asleep once again.

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His stomach was growling,

Naruto sat silently across the campfire, not having moved an inch from where he previously sat. He watched Sasuke chew the last remains of the roasted meet. 

Naruto's stomach growled angrily again but he couldn't tear his eyes away. Sasuke didn't look at him as he cut another slice from the roasting carcass over top the fire and continued to eat. Naruto stared at the few pieces remaining hungrily, the tantalizing aroma wafting from the meat and the sight of the juices sizzling as it dripped into the fire tortured him long enough.

Naruto opened his mouth to order a piece from Sasuke, but closed his mouth once again in fear of lost dignity. Sasuke had eaten one piece after another without offering him any, watching Sasuke's even teeth sink into the savory meat had him so deeply absorbed he could almost taste it.

Almost.

Naruto quickly turned away to avoid his glance when Sasuke looked up to him, almost seething at the amusement he knew was in those dark eyes. GAH!! He was ENJOYING this! Naruto pretended to be interested in his shadowy surroundings before his stomach rumbled loudly again and Naruto cursed under his breath.

But Sasuke ignored it and Naruto was silently enraged. If that bastard thought he would beg him for something to eat, he had better think twice. He'd starve to death first!!

Naruto reached for the water bottle, water should keep his stomach quiet enough. But he couldn't hold down a gasp when Sasuke leaned over and snatched it right back from his grasp without a word. Naruto was furious, but who cared, right??!! He could last a night without food, but he also remembered that he had skipped both breakfast and lunch in his haste and was starving.

He deliberately averted his gaze when Sasuke removed the remaining meat from the fire, which was still sizzling from the heat and carefully wrapped it up in paper.

Hunger knawing, Naruto looked away, not at all eager to even see the other boy. 

Sasuke knew Naruto was hungry. He wasn't deaf. He had heard the constant rumbling of his traitorous stomach countless times. But he had found the food, lit the fire, prepared the meat and cooked it, while Naruto's unyielding attitude stopped him from helping at all. The boy just watched, unwilling to contribute to the camp.

Well, he certainly got his punishment. Sasuke couldn't get the sight of Naruto's look on his face, though, when the delicious aroma had first started to fill the clearing, and felt compelled to give him the last piece of food. But Naruto needed to learn his lesson and lessons were hard learned.

Sasuke laid down to his side and pulled his blanket over himself. He didn't close his eyes though. He knew he wasn't going to get much sleep that night.

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Naruto muttered a soft unintelligible sound when he felt someone nudging him in the back. Turning over to his side, Naruto continued to sleep when a harsh kick hit against his shoulder and he woke up in alarm.

" Naruto, wake up!!"

Over him, Sasuke unblinkingly stared down with his emotionless dark eyes and Naruto flinched from the closeness of them. Quickly rolling away, Naruto bent up slowly, rubbing his sore back.

" Nyah, what time is it!!" He complained. He frowned when he got no reply.

Silently cursing as hunger hit him sharply, he got up to his feet and shot a glare at Sasuke's already departing figure where he walked at a leisurely pace without looking back.

Vowing vengeance, Naruto followed.

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The afternoon sun bore down on them mercilessly, growing hotter by the second. Even the trees couldn't shade them from the humidity that swept through the air. Naruto swaggered forward, drops of perspiration dripped down his face. Thirsty, hungry and footsore, he still continued to follow Sasuke a few feet behind as the other boy continued steady progress towards an unknown destination. Sasuke had stopped earlier at a small clearly running stream to refill his water bottle, but did not say a word when Naruto had run up and crouched down to drink and satisfy the thirst that had become unbearable.

But Naruto's anxious growling of his stomach has not ceased yet and Naruto couldn't stand the looks Sasuke shot him every time it did. Sasuke 'knew' he was hungry and wanted to make him suffer. Naruto began to hate Sasuke more and more, despite the fact that he knew he had brought it onto himself.

Intensely aware of the person stumbling behind him, Sasuke continued to direct his attention ahead. He knew he should be stopping by now, but he was not yet feeling fatigue so why should he?? But Sasuke couldn't ignore the nagging at the back of his head, reminding him that Naruto hasn't eaten yet and didn't have the energy to go on.

Sasuke didn't stop though, because he was still firm on the fact that Naruto had brought it onto himself with his damn stubbornness. 

So he drank knowing that Naruto was thirsty.

Ate when he knew the boy was hungry.

Even though he ate more than his fill, Sasuke realized that both his hunger and thirst has not been satisfied yet.

The long day continued and Sasuke continued on without resting, Naruto staggering visibly behind him. The distance between them began to lengthen as Sasuke had the strength to jump over roots and branches easily, while Naruto began to find it more and more difficult to take each step.

When terrain began to slope, Sasuke with great difficulty forced down the inclination to walk faster, knowing that Naruto would never catch up. But he wouldn't rest yet, and Sasuke pressed on.

Naruto tiredly set one foot ahead of the other, trying in vain to catch up to Sasuke or at least keep in sight of him.

Halting briefly, he realized the grumbling of his stomach had ceased, though he was still agonizingly hungry. Suddenly, he didn't seem so hungry; in fact his feet weren't even sore anymore. A strange darkness was rapidly veiling him, taking him to a place where he felt no discomfort.

Naruto didn't even have time to think as darkness abruptly embraced him.

The sun began to set and Sasuke decided it would almost be time to rest. They had been walking for the whole day and to Sasuke's great disappointment, they haven't come across anything to fight against. Sasuke had been looking forward to the trip, knowing it was a good chance to test his skills as Iruka had said. But all he found were pitiful animals that weren't even worth eating and creatures like the one Naruto had come upon, which he knew he could beat but would take too much strength off him.

He paused when he reached a large indentation in a tree and found it a good place to spend the night. When he stepped closer for a better look, he found that there was a pond there good for drinking. As well as… Sasuke took several leaps over braches to get to the base of the tree and found a carving there. Naruto and Shikimaru had been there, he mused. 

Suddenly, he realized that it's been long and Naruto still wasn't there yet. His heart began to pound slowly as he waited for what seemed like an eternity, but Naruto had still not arrived. Feeling too concerned to wait any longer, Sasuke began to run back to where he had come from.

His concern began to rise when he walked quite a distance without seeing Naruto. How the hell could he have not been watching him??? Knowing of Naruto's state, Sasuke remembered painfully of what happened before when Naruto had ran out into the rain. The fact that this time, it was 'his' fault made it ten times harder.

Sasuke began to pick up his pace, running through the trees when he stopped so suddenly he nearly fell over. He found the boy lying motionless on the grass.

" Naruto!!!" He exclaimed loudly, beside him in a second. Sasuke quickly turned Naruto over and felt for a pulse in his wrist. Relief flooded him when he found life throbbing and did not hesitate to slip an arm around him and sweep the boy into his arms. Then he ran as quickly as he could to his intended camp.

Sasuke gently pressed a towel he had dipped onto the thankfully cool water of the small pond against Naruto's feverish forehead. Then he began to wash it down his face, happy when the paleness brightened to a soft pink hue on the cheeks.

Naruto slowly opened his eyes as he awoke, raising his chin with meager defiance when he saw Sasuke over him. He was shocked to find that there was hardly any strength in him. He tried to sit up, and when Sasuke bent over in a flash to help him, Naruto let him though he stiffed exceptionally.

" What happened?" Naruto asked groggily.

" You fainted." Sasuke said simply, before he placed the wet towel into Naruto's hands.

" Put this against your face, it should help you feel better." Sasuke explained coldly, his eyes suddenly devoid of the worry Naruto had seen seconds ago. But Sasuke crouched down quickly to open the packet of meat he had prepared earlier and held it out towards him.

Naruto took it without a word of thanks and chewed on it as he watched Sasuke work silently around the camp. He prepared the fowl he had captured earlier on for cooking and replenished the water bottles with the fresh water of the pond.

Naruto realized with a start that he was where he had been with Shikimaru the day before, though everything looked quite different at night. He glanced back beside him and recognized the carving. It bought a smile to his lips as he finished the last bit of his meat. The smile disappeared though when he found Sasuke stalking towards him and immediately edged away.

" What?"

His heart began to pound when Sasuke crouched down beside him, his handsome face level with his as he took a pouch from his pocket and gently pulled one of Naruto's feet into his hands. Naruto fought the temptation to pull it away immediately, and he really would have too, except his foot burned with pain every time he moved it the slightest.

" What are you doing?!" Naruto demanded angrily.

Sasuke looked up at him briefly and examined his foot with dark eyes before dipping his finger into the pouch to spread a clear gel onto his sore foot.

Naruto gasped, the relief was instantaneous. But he couldn't keep the anger out of his eyes.

" What's wrong with you! First you cause the injury, then you try and heal it??" Naruto shouted bitterly.

" I didn't cause the wounds- they came from your stubbornness."

" It wasn't my damn idea to walk for the entire day straight without stopping even once for a rest!!" Naruto snatched back his foot and glared at Sasuke.

" I guess you'll blame me for letting you go hungry as well?"

" It IS your fault!"

" You didn't do your share, so you won't get your share of the food!!" 

" You still can't starve someone to death!!!"

" Are you dead??"

Both of them argued, breathing heavily in anger.

" You want me dead don't you!!" Naruto yelled finally, his heart pounding and throat tight.

The intensity of Sasuke's gaze suddenly deepened and Naruto felt a shudder run though him as the other boy whispered:

" I would never want you dead."

Shaken by his gaze, Naruto frowned at him, making a face. But Sasuke had already gotten up and returned to the fire, where a fowl was roasting. 

Sasuke began to tend to the meat, carefully turning it every so often so that it wouldn't burn or over cook. He could feel the heat of Naruto's bright eyes on him, watching him intently and tried not to look back.

Naruto's words of accusation had hurt him a lot in ways he could not comprehend, even though Sasuke hated to admit it. 

He was startled from his thoughts when dripping from the foul touched the fire, causing the flames to surge upward suddenly, searing the fowls flesh. He quickly plucked the fowl out of the fire and placed it onto a cloth, watching the liquids darken the sheet it was on.

Sasuke paused a bit before he turned around to Naruto, the roasted bird in his hand. He noticed that Naruto remained silent when he placed the bird on the blanket, though his eyes were questioning.

" Am I to assume your giving me something to eat after starving me for a night?" Naruto asked boldly, his eyes still holding that stubborn defiance. Without even waiting for a reply, he snapped, " Are you going to torture me again this time?? Snatch it away if I try to eat it??"

Sasuke rolled tired eyes as he replied,

" No, I will not do that."

" Then why are you so generous today when you let me go hungry yesterday, bastard?!"

" Because you shouldn't receive what you don't earn."

" What did I do today then??"

" This is different."

" How?"

Sasuke paused for a bit before he gazed at Naruto carefully.

" I didn't mean to hurt you… Naruto."

Struggling to ignore the sudden breathlessness that Sasuke's soft pronunciation of his name elicited, Naruto look away quickly into the dark shadows of the trees around them.

He didn't hear anything from Sasuke for a minute, though he felt the dark eyes that bore into him like he understood everything about Naruto. But he didn't…

Feeling something being dropped onto his legs, Naruto turned around to find the meat in his lap and Sasuke already on the ground with a blanket tucked around him. Naruto watched the steady rising and lowering of Sasuke's slight outline of torso with every breath he took for a while. He finally turned his eyes away. He looked to the meat instead and took a large bite, uncaring of the juices that ran down his chin.

When he finished his meat and lay down comfortably onto his back, Naruto found his eyes straying towards Sasuke's form again. He opened his mouth to say something, but realized that the other boy was probably already asleep. So he dropped his head and fell into a deep sleep.

Next to him, a little while later, when Sasuke was sure Naruto was sleeping, he got up slowly, careful not to make a sound, and pulled a blanket from a nearby bag. Leaning over to tenderly tuck the blanket around Naruto, he stared almost longingly at him before letting out a sigh.

" Naruto…"

The next morning, when Naruto woke up, Sasuke was already gone. Naruto figured Sasuke had known that he would know how to get back out of the forest at that point. But Naruto found himself almost disappointed at his rival's absence. Seeing a slab of meat at his side, he picked it up and ate it quickly.

He heard the rustling of cloth underneath his chin and saw a clean blue blanket bunched up at his thigh. He carefully dusted the blanket off and took the corners into his fingers before he stretched it out and took a deep breath out of it.

It smelled like Sasuke.

Naruto felt a smile tug at his lips as he folded the blanket up and tucked it underneath his arm.

Maybe… maybe he should forgive Sasuke…

Naruto decided , before a grin broke on his face and he leaped up to get out of the dreadful forest.

Suddenly,

" SHIKIMARU!!!!! YOU'RE ALIIIIVE!!!!!!!!!!!"

*******************************************************************************

YES!!! JOY!!!! HAPPINESS!!!

Stupid chapter's FINALLY DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Cough.

Anyways, before I go unconscious from exhaustion, let me tell you that a girl came to me today to tell me she was deeply in love with me and has been having fantasies about me since 3 years ago.

It took like 5 whole minutes for it to sink into my head and I kinda stared at her.

That was seriously seriously scary because I've known her since I was like in kindergarden.

Then my boyfriend told her to go away… which gave me an even bigger heart attack since he's always Mr.Freaking Nice Guy. 

So here's a tip: Two heart-attacks in a day doesn't work at all, it makes your blood rush to your brain and your brain gets all fucked up and you go really crazy and start spazzing at everyone afterwards.

Oh yes^^

Please donate a nice review to help the nice needy children in the world…

World meaning my computer… children meaning Cheryl….

Just click on the box right below these words and choose… review…

Then drop a few words!!

How very very simple!!!

Luv ya all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	7. X

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAI!! 

I LUV u ppl u are SO totally amazing!!!!!!!

Hehe!! I got over a hundred reviews!! *smile*

I'm so very proud of myself&^_^

That's why I had this one out in less than a week?? Am I not brilliant??

Mwah.

Oh Yes^_______^;; 

I realize that this chapter is amazingly boring:P 

Well… you really wouldn't know because you haven't read this yet… since I EXPECT most people would read this part before the story *stares suspiciously at everyone*

Or… not…

I've been too tired lately….. not enough sleep…

So I wasn't thinking a lot for this chapter, though I've just about wrapped up the story… No, it doesn't mean it's almost the end u retards…

Actually!! Cheer cheer everyone:p This is just about the middle of the story… well if u don't count the epilogue of course… 

*laughs* Well who really DOES count the epilogue??????????

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! *laughs outrageously for no reason*

ANYways… 

Please excuse the lameness of this chapter and be kind enough to review….

It's nice to give feedback… so I can write better, more interesting chapters for u to enjoy^___^

*mutters* enjoy… HAH!

This is dedicated to Nora D and Wusai for helping me!!!!!!!! U guys RULE!!

And of course to my beta Koganei, because she is totally the coolest person in the world.

 Oh yes, and my wonderful friend Mikie, my inspiration, *cough*NOT*cough* and *smile* Aragorn from the Lord of the Rings… because I luv him so^^ (Yes!! NOT legolas u elf-loving freaks!!)

Umm… and I'd like to make a point of telling Sloth that I LUV UR WORK!!! HAH!! Did you know I luv to draw too!!!!!

Yep^_____^ I actually drew a pic for this story and I wanted to put it on the web… but my scanner is on vacation_

So When I DO scan it in, I can send it to u guys!!!!!!!!! 

Oh yes… *speaks in a bored tone of voice*

Naruto obviously does not belong to me and Ivory isn't either… though I have a bar of it at home.

Also…. There is yaoi and shounen-ai in this story… which means two GUYS together… 

Yes… steady your hearts…

Also, rape and weirdness and the author rambling about things she really shouldn't be talking about…

FEEEEEEEEEAR ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Read on ^^; O yes… I apologize as well for the longness of this note^^ There's just too much to say:P

*********************************************************************************

Chapter 6 

Sasuke sighed tiredly and dropped down heavily onto the wooden bench. It was a hot day; in fact, it's been unnaturally warm ever since he had come back to the village. He had just been training only minutes ago near his home in the safe covering of trees and bushes in the forest, it was not a day to be gawked at like a plate of meat by girls. It's mostly been a busy slow week, each never-ending day passing by was like it was put onto slow-motion, like a piece of rubber that's been stretched thin. Sasuke lifted a slender hand to wipe the beads of sweat that rolled down from his hairline onto his forehead and laid back.

A nice breeze swept across the park and the calming rustling of the leaves set a slow serene smile on Sasuke's face. His dark eyes darted around quickly and found that there was no one there. Sasuke suddenly remembered that there was a show in downtown that many have been dying to see; some sort of professional travelling shinobi group who perfected their skills to degrading circus tricks. Sasuke frowned distastefully, but also a little thankful at the fact that he may be allowed some peace for once.

Sasuke lifted and arm back to push his hair out of his eyes and closed them, his black eyelashes only fluttering hesitantly for a second before he sat there slightly vulnerable and relaxed. 

It was very pleasant, Sasuke could hardly remember the day before when he would actually just lie there and relish in the majestic power of Nature. He believed even when he was younger that he had some sort of connection with the trees and the running rivers and even the blades of grass. It was as though he could almost hear them speak.

Sasuke found that his sensitive hearing was even more heightened when he closed his eyes. He sat still and listened to the wind and the trees. 

" Tsk tsk Sasuke, aren't you being a little careless just sitting out here like that in the open?"

That irritating voice sounded all too familiar. Sasuke's eyelids shot open immediately and his black eyes narrowed under the bright glare of the sun. Naruto stood in front of him; a silly grin that resembled one of a clown's was set firmly on his face.

" Naruto??" Sasuke said in plain shock, his eyes widening and not even remembering to hide his surprise in the unexpected coming of his partner. Naruto shrugged.

" The one and only."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed again suspiciously and lifted himself up stiffly.

" Are you here to go crazy on me again?? Dead-last?" Sasuke grumbled, hoping to make Naruto see he was still a little angry about what had happened before. Naruto stared at him disbelievingly for a minute before he burst out laughing. Sasuke stared at him.

" I would think that you of all people would not dwell on things that have passed, much less whine about them." Naruto laughed.

Sasuke stared at him, aghast both at Naruto and himself. Mostly at himself for not noticing how much Naruto has changed in the past few days. Sasuke remembered how Naruto before would probably shoot back some immature response to his insult. Sasuke couldn't really decide yet on whether or not he liked the old-Naruto better. The change was startling and Sasuke couldn't bring himself to believe that the annoying immature brat is probably gone forever.

" Besides, don't call me dead-last anymore you bastard. I bet I can knock you down with my Sexy no Jutsu!" Naruto said with a guffaw. Sasuke couldn't resist a smile, which he hid immediately with a smirk. Naruto… would always be Naruto. 

But… Sasuke frowned.

Naruto stopped laughing when he noticed Sasuke's serious expression. After pausing for a second, he plopped himself down beside the other boy.

" I just wanted to uh… thank you for yesterday… how you helped me and stuff." He stuttered under his breath.

" It's alright. Anyone would have offered you what I did." Sasuke said coolly.

" And uh…" Naruto trailed off, shifting uncomfortably. Sasuke stared at him seriously, expression intense.

" Yes?" Sasuke pressed. 

" Whathappenedbeforeweshouldjustforgetaboutitit'sbestthatway." Naruto said quickly in one breath. Sasuke took a moment to think.

Naruto didn't want to bring it up because he feared the subject, he'd been thinking so much about what had happened before and the smartest thing to do in his opinion was to ignore it completely. But that dream he had a night ago had him chilled, he had a feeling it had something to do with the strange occurrences the past few weeks. 

Sasuke didn't speak as well because he didn't want to spark another tantrum in the other boy. It shouldn't be called a tantrum, but Sasuke liked to refer what had happened on their trip as one. It kept things simpler, especially now that Naruto seems to have gone back to normal. Sasuke's really avoiding the issue and he knew that, but it was a difficult thing to acknowledge.

So Sasuke nodded rather than to blurt of the many questions that had gathered into his head ever since he had been contemplating Naruto's outburst.

" Tomorrow's the ceremony for our year, I heard there would be a dance." Naruto said slowly, as both their eyes avoided each other as they avoided the subject and looked at the scenery around them instead.

" Yes…" Sasuke answered, hating the tension.

Naruto finally took in a deep breath and turned around to smile brightly at one of the first people who had ever acknowledged him, even though he didn't realize it at first. Naruto's breath hitched at the sight of him, several strands of the ebony hair fluttered in the wind as Sasuke's piercing dark eyes swept across the park, studying and knowing everything with just one glance. Naruto suddenly remembered the night he had wandered into Sasuke's room and did the unimaginable. The thought reddened his cheeks slightly and Naruto quickly shook it off.

" You taking Sakura-chan to the dance?" Naruto asked casually. Sasuke crooked his head around to gaze at him and shook his head mutely, his dark eyes scanning and reading the other boy like a book. Naruto squirmed under Sasuke's intense gaze.

" Why not?"

" She's not my type…" Sasuke answered quickly, it was obvious that he didn't want to talk about it. Naruto began to lose himself in Sasuke intense watch and quickly turned away, his blond hair whipping around his face.

" Well, there are a whole lot of girls who are madly in love with you, so you've got your pick." Naruto chuckled, the words nearly choking him. To his mad surprise, Sasuke actually laughed. A sweet-sounding noise that sounded so foreign to Naruto's ears he nearly fell of the bench.

" Like they'd actually like me." Sasuke said lightly. Naruto eyed him carefully before his face broke to a full feral Naruto-grin.

" HAH!! Of course!! They'd go for me first before they'd actually go for you!!" Naruto said loudly before jumping up to glare playfully at Sasuke. " Stop humbling yourself just to make yourself more perfect than you already are!!" 

Sasuke stood as well, pulling his arms above him in a relaxing stretch. Naruto stopped himself to stare hungrily at the inch of flesh that had been carelessly exposed in front of him under the hem of Sasuke's shirt.

" Would that be a compliment?" Sasuke said with a rare smile after he took his arms down. Naruto was about to stick his tongue at him before he froze nervously and smiled instead.

" You wish!!!"

Sasuke gave an easy smile and Naruto realized just how different the boy looked when he did. If he was dazzling enough before, his smile positively glowed with such a radiance Naruto was stunned for a split second. 

Naruto had his eyes locked on Sasuke's smile before a twinkling bell roused him from the trance and he blushed quickly, realizing he had been staring. Sasuke turned around to see a man driving an ice-cream cart around on a bike, hopeless of getting any customers since everyone was gone. 

Sasuke glanced back, smile still on his face. Naruto couldn't help but feel pleasantly happy inside from the fact that he knew Sasuke wouldn't smile for anyone but ones who should stand an important place in his heart.

" Want an ice-cream?" 

Naruto jumped from having such a question directed towards him from Sasuke of all people. His mouth dropped slightly as he nodded a quickly and followed Sasuke to the ice-cream. He finally got over his initial shock and joked easily.

" Would this be a date?" He said laughing softly. Sasuke didn't look back when he answered, still taking long swift strides.

" Would you like it to be?" A quick question came forth. Naruto was lost for words for a minute, his mouth opening and closing as though he was about to speak.

" er- a-ano… and I mean… uh-" Naruto stuttered nervously, his eyes darting back and forth from the ground to the back of Sasuke's head.

Sasuke seemed to hesitate a bit before he tilted his head to the side just the slightest to catch Naruto's eye. Naruto's cheeks coloured yet again. He was slightly relieved and disappointed at the same time to see Sasuke chuckling.

" I was only joking idiot!" Sasuke said clearly before he sprinted the last few steps to the man and quickly pulled out a couple of bills. The orange-clad ninja ran after him after a brief pause and eagerly took the cone that Sasuke held out towards him.

Naruto's excited face dampened a bit when he saw the cone though, and Sasuke noticed so as he took several licks off his chocolate ice-cream. They began to walk back to where they were previously sitting.

" Bleh!" Naruto made a face. " Vanilla!! I HATE vanilla!!" Naruto stared down sadly at his dripping cone, he hadn't not taken one solitary lick. Sasuke looked at him as would a mother look at an ungrateful child.

" Is that what you tell a person who just bought you food?" Sasuke said lowly, shaking his head. 

He stared at his cone for a minute before he pushed his cone out to Naruto and snatched up the other boy's. 

He took a few amused licks from the vanilla cone and continued to hold his chocolate cone out. Naruto stared at the cone and then at Sasuke. He made a disgusted face.

" Nyah Sasuke!! You already licked it!! Why did you take my cone!!" Naruto said, folding his arms onto his chest. Sasuke gazed at him disbelievingly.

" I offered you my cone. So take it or leave it, it isn't vanilla.' Sasuke said coolly. When a drop of chocolate dribbled down the cone onto his hand, he quickly lifted a finger to lick it off. Naruto watched entranced as the pink tongue darted out instantly to swipe on the ice-cream. 

Catching himself again, Naruto grabbed the ice-cream cone out of Sasuke's hand and began to lick it gingerly. Author: HAHA!! Indirect kiss^_______^

" You like Vanilla??" Naruto said, eyeing Sasuke carefully. Sasuke made a disgusted face that looked so comical Naruto snorted into his ice-cream.

" Ugh, disgusting." Sasuke muttered and they reached the bench to sit, it was cool and shady under the trees. Naruto widened his eyes in surprise as they both bent down to lean back onto the wooden bench, delightfully out of the blazing sun.

" Why did you trade with me then??" 

Sasuke stared at him as though he expected Naruto to know the answer already.

" You didn't like it as well, and I don't have that huge of a problem with it anyways. Besides, I don't really enjoy ice-cream in the summer." Sasuke explained slowly. Naruto raised a delicate brow.

" When else would you eat ice-cream??"

" I'd rather eat it in the winter, when you can enjoy and savour your ice-cream slowly without worrying about it melting and making a mess." Sasuke said, taking a few tentative licks out of his cone and not looking at Naruto at all.

" That's weird. I'd rather it be in the summer when it could run coldly down your throat, a nice contrast to the scorching heat. Also, I like the feeling of sweet stick globs of ice-cream dripping off your cone and onto your hands. It's fun." Naruto laughed at his words, knowing how corny it sounded. 

Sasuke turned his head to watch him, laughter dancing in his eyes.

" There are still many things to learn about you Naruto."

Naruto grinned devishly as he finished his cone and threw the last bit into his mouth.

" Ne! I can imagine, you probably thought I was some easy to win brat whose eyes light up at the sight of ramen or something!" 

Sasuke paused thoughfully.

" Too bad, Ramen would have been nice." Sasuke said quickly before he jumped up and took a couple of steps opposite from the direction of where the ramen shop was. 

It took a second for the fact that Sasuke was about to treat him to his favourite meal to register in Naruto's head. He jumped up gleefully before he grabbed the normally stoic boy's arm and began to tug him towards his favourite restaurant.

" I was just jokin'!"

It was nice to know that things have gotten back to normal, and perhaps their relationship was even friendlier than before. But Sasuke couldn't help but notice it was a little strained, and at how Naruto blanched just before he did his customary face where he would stick out his tongue and grin viciously. And Naruto couldn't help but notice as well how Sasuke always seemed a little uncomfortable talking to him and how he as well found it hard sometimes to speak to the boy.

Perhaps it would take time for things to turn back to normal, but both believed they had all the time in the world.

************************************************

Naruto stared up at the plain white ceiling above him, traces of a smile still upon his lips. He had a lot of fun with Sasuke, Naruto had made the choice of acting normally again. But Sasuke… Naruto was still uncomfortable about the fact that Sasuke acted as though he had forgotten all about what he had done on their trip. 

Not that it was much though, Naruto frowned to himself, it could have been just a joke. Naruto felt a little queasy at the thought of Sasuke laughing after him for taking everything so seriously.

Naruto flopped over to his side and stared out the window, he had opened it to let the cool night breeze sweep into the room. He never really liked his window open, but he still can't afford a damn air conditioner.

The stars were twinkling quite brightly, though Naruto didn't like the look of them that night. Their twinkling seemed to chuckle at him mischievously… /we know something you don't…/ They ranted and chanted in a song-song voice.

 Stars mocking him, Naruto forced a grin on his face, I really must be losing it. 

He suddenly shivered and looked away from the window.

I'll definitely sleep this time, Naruto shut his eyes tightly. But they shot open immediately and Naruto sighed to himself, he knew he wouldn't be able to fall asleep. Whenever he closed his eyes into that dark world where anything could happen, he had a feeling that whatever caused him so much pain the other night would come back again. Naruto felt a sudden flow of fear run through his veins and felt his hairs prickle up. That 'thing' was not very nice at all…

No, not at all.

That 'thing' was very evil… oh it is… It was watching him always… Naruto desperately wanted to back away from his thoughts… 

That 'thing' wanted to eat him… devour him and tear him to shreds of human flesh… 

Naruto shut his eyes tightly and willed himself to sleep, free from the clutches of his own terrifying mind. He clutched his night shirt and shivered uncontrollably…

Sleep damn it! Sleep!

"Hummmmmmm…"

Out of nowhere came forth a low hum… a serene tranquil song that danced into the room and calmed Naruto almost immediately. 

"Hummm…. Hum hum hum… huuuum…."

Naruto sighed peacefully and began to doze off, the melody was so dreamlike and alluring. He felt every single lovely note like a whisper in his ears, blowing as gently as the kiss of the wind…

" Huuumm…. Huuummm…" It died off slowly and quietly…

But at a point where Naruto would not know that it was gone… So that it wouldn't disturb him…

And let him sleep…

***************************************************************

_Naruto ran around, though it was as though his body really wasn't his at all. His legs were moving more quickly as they ever had before, but Naruto didn't signal his body to run… it just did. Naruto didn't feel any fatique either, which was strange because he had been running for the past 5000 years in circles…_

_He just wasn't there then._

_Naruto concentrated on where he was rather than what he was doing. He was in a flat landscape ful of white nothingness. Everything was a pure snow white, not even an atom of dirt was on the ground… of there was one._

_Naruto began to think thoughts, like how he could know there wasn't an atom of dirt of the ground when he can't even see one, or what kind of detergent the cleaner used._

_It took him a while before he figured out there wasn't one, perhaps he was the first one to step onto this virgin area. Naruto felt a sudden urge to clean himself, he was so dirty compared to the environment._

_Then he thought about what kind of soap he could use that would scub of every microbe of dirt… Maybe Ivory… like his surroundings…_

_Naruto was thinking not very sensible thoughts… perhaps… He pondered… where am I?? He asked himself finally. _

_But where should I be??_

_Naruto shrugged to himself, though he didn't really shrug physically because he couldn't control his body at all… so he imagined himself shrugging and that was really enough._

_Maybe he was supposed to be here… Naruto began to get used to the running, though he found himself getting dizzy running the small circles…_

_He almost felt like a dog chasing its tail._

_There was suddenly a strange melody floating towards him over all the whiteness, entering him and binding him with it's long sustaining notes…_

_Naruto found his mind clear of it's fogginess and was able to stop himself from running. Which he did. _

_He was exhausted though, so tired he could fall to the ground dead asleep._

_5000 years running could do that to a person. _

_The music was still there, he realized with a slight raise of his brow. Yes, he can do that know. Raise his brows. Naruto tried smiling and could feel his face muscle tightning._

_That meant he was smiling.  
  
_

_Such sweet delightful music, Naruto felt like smiling some more because of it. But no… the music was telling him not to. It was telling him to go somewhere. _

_Naruto didn't mind. He liked the music. A lot._

_The enchanting music flowed like threads tying themselves around his body and playing him forward to whatever his destination was. Naruto felt a brief stun of panic and alarm, but the music soothed him once again as a mother would a fretting child._

_Naruto glided along with the music, feeling delightfully like he was part of it. _

_Then he stopped all of a sudden when something came into view. It was a dark haired boy, sitting in front of a piano and playing that wonderful music he loved so much._

_Naruto watched the hands in an awed silence, they were so nimble and quick as they danced gracefully over the keys. Pressing here and pressing there, producing those lovely twinkling sounds that was just so fasinating to him._

_The boy stopped playing then, his back still facing Naruto._

Then as though silence was the key, Naruto suddenly was startled awake. As though he had been pushed under water and suffocated until he could breath once again.

" What the hell???" Naruto yelled, looking around him wildly. Where the heck is he?? Naruto remembered himself watching the stars and trying to fall asleep. He looked at his pure white surroundings and tried to think clearly. He was dreaming, Naruto reassured himself, sighing in relief as he realized the most reasonable answer.

Naruto pulled his gaze towards the only other object in this entire world of nothingness and held his breath. There was a boy just sitting there at the piano, facing the other direction so that Naruto couldn't see his face at all. 

" Oi!! Dream guy person!!" Naruto called to him, speaking much more loudly than what was required of 10 feet of space.

The boy didn't answer, only sat perfectly still at his piano and staring down at his fingers, which were still barely skimming the piano's surface.

Naruto frowned at him and stalked forward. When he stood almost right next to the boy and the grand piano, perfectly polished to gleam proudly in the white light, Naruto's frown lifted itself to a sneer.

" Who are you???" Naruto said slowly as though he was speaking to a child, he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his orange pants.

The boy didn't answer, nor did he move an inch.

Naruto fumed at him, his eyes flaring with anger as he pushed forward to grab the boy's shoulders tightly and pull him around so that he faced him.

Naruto was just about to yell his head off when he saw the boy's slightly different by definitely recognizable features.

" S-Sasuke???" Naruto stuttered, stepping back.

A much younger Sasuke smiled sweetly at him, but didn't say a word.

 Naruto was taken back, of all things, he didn't expect to find Sasuke there. His bangs were shorting though the dark hair at the back of his head grew to the nape of his neck, his features were softer than before and his pink lips were slightly puckered as though he was pouting. It was not a very Sasuke-like expression at all, but Naruto could recognize him anywhere at any age.

Dark eyes that were much larger than before peered up to him innocently. Naruto was about to demand Sasuke to tell him where he was when he remembered again that it was a dream. So with little hesitance, he smiled back uneasily at the little boy. He was so much like and unlike Sasuke at the same time, but no longer were his eyes etched with pain and burdened with dark memories and responsibility.

The boy giggled, something Naruto would never expect Sasuke even as a child would do and held a hand up to him. Naruto peered at the small delicate hand, instantly comparing it to Sasuke's own large hand and finding them extremely different. But he took it, flashing the child a grin.

Naruto noted that the boy's small hand was very soft, his skin pearly white and as smooth as satin. He couldn't resist to run a thumb over the palm before the boy pulled him down to the black chair he was sitting on.

Naruto stared at him in question, but once again, little Sasuke smiled at him reassuringly. The boy guided his hand towards the keys slowly, tugging for it to sit on the notes. Naruto frowned at him, he knew it was a dream but he still felt a little anxious for some reason.

Feeling a sudden wave of familiar nausea, Naruto quickly snatched his hand back and got up to back away, he didn't care about the tearful eyes that faced him once again. It was way too strange.

The younger Sasuke sighed in slight aspiration at him, before he dared a tiny sly smile that crawled up his lips and almost seemed to tease him. Sasuke giggled, a high-pitched sound that sounded more like a witch's cackle than an innocent child's and held out his hand again, beckoning Naruto to join him.

" Sasuke?" Naruto asked uneasily.

A giggle.

" Come… come…" The boy whispered, still giggling. His voice was soft and high, like a girl's.

Entranced in those happy teasing dark eyes, Naruto nearly nodded in spite of himself. But he shook his head quickly and gaped at the child.

" This is a dream." Naruto stated to himself, somehow saying the words aloud made him feel better. 

Little Sasuke's sweet smile didn't seem so sweet anymore, soon his adorable face turned ugly as he glared hotly at Naruto. Demanding him to come.

Naruto backed a few steps, shaking his head.

Little Sasuke snarled, a frown wrinkling up his pretty small face and Naruto shivered at such a hateful expression on a child.

But unexpected Sasuke's face brightened as though he realized something that would help him. Bouncing happily on his seat to face the piano, he grinned triumphantly at Naruto as he began to place his hands onto the piano.

Naruto realized what he was doing like a shot in his head, he told himself to cover his ears but decided to run instead.

Run!!!! He mind called to him.

So he began to run away.

***********************

Naruto woke up with a start, finding himself drenched with sweat again. He swore to himself loudly and tightened his already fisted hands.

" Damn. Another dream." Naruto peered at his fists sadly, it wasn't painful this time. Not physically anyways, but it had hurt in another way that made his heart muscles tighten.

Naruto pushed himself up with his elbows and didn't look out the window this time, he knew by the light in the room it was morning already. Flipping over so that his feet were touching the ground, he slipped on his slippers and got up quickly.

He didn't remember his dream again, though he knew it was important.

Maybe he should talk to Sasuke.

TBC………..

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AWWWWWWWWWWW… *waves for everyone to join*

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!

Well… this chapter wasn't cute at all but I felt like saying that:P

He wants to talk to Sasuke for no reason??????

HAH!! Plot device!!!! ~.~

Well not really… but I felt like yelling that out.

OK!!!!!!!!! ANOTHER problem????

Why the hell does Naruto and Sasuke keep on changing… like one minute they're moody bastards going through male PMS or something…. Then they get all nice and fun-loving?????

You must all be saying…… dude… is there something wrong with the author????

The answer is…. Yes… there IS something wrong with the author^___^

I just can't control myself, because I'm in different moods everytime I write a different chapter, that seems to have an effect on my story as well…

*sigh*

So sad…. Tear tear…….

To xing@fanfiction.net (heh^^ I luv ur name)

Umm… I definitely realize that Shikimau was acting very much out of character in my last chapter…

That would be because I don't know much about him and stuff… and… umm… yes^^ that's a bad excuse_

I'm sorry to anyone who also found him mucho OOC!!!!! And the misspelling of his name too!!

And I.am.Lee

Yes^^ My grammer really really sucks… that may explain why I have horrible marks in writing:P

I'll try harder to keep everything in one tense now!! Although I really just go with the flow of my writing!!

Must I repeat myself?? I think I DO!!!!!!

There will be DARK themes presented in this story… as in RAPE!!! YES!! RAPE!!!

*laughs hysterically*

I will not go beyond that……

Do not proceed forward if your heart is not stable enough to take this…

I do NOT want a lawsuit after me!!!!!!!


	8. S

My ramblings are SO much fun aren't they^_____^

I had to hold back this chapter because I had to make posters for my school… dun ask

Anyways^^ Not much to say this time…

Well the disclaimers of course^^

Noooo…. I DO NOT own Naruto for obvious reasons…. Or I would NOT be sitting here writing fanfiction when I could be making huge bucks off my manga…

Also, this is dedicated to SLOTH!! Because sloth is just SO KOOL!!! ^___^ I went over your website like fifty times and tried to leave a message but it didn't work^^;;

I would LUV to see your pictures, if they are as amazing and beautiful as you others ones^^ U like Kakashi ne? Anyways! U RULE with your wonderful art!! I felt like I didn't give you much earned appreciation in my last chapter!

Eh^^ Feels embarrassed to have u review my story, u know what?? I actually went to u website before u reviewed me and u were like one of my artist idols!! *starry eyes* LOL^^

This is ALSO dedicated to Wusai and Nora D(She's reviewed every single chapter since I started^^ *feeling proud of myself*) Thanks 4 ur help!

And to my ever special beta Koganei!! Cuz she works her ass off beta-ing my stories… which I'm sad to say I'm too lazy to edit myself!! *glomps her* U R THE BEST!!!!!

Special thanks to my reviewers, 

Sw, faith, sloth^^, NoraD:P, Renn, Moon Klutz, Annachan, Mimi, Kinu-uni^_^, L-sama, Kon-kun, RyogazGal(Who reviewed A LOT of my chapters at once^^ It was a shock to see), kyaate, Aya and Maki!! (I'll be glad to send u an e-mail whenever a new chapter is out)

Reviewers will always have a special place in my heart!!

READ ON!!!

Warnings: Beware of homosexuality, RAPE and other dark (well not so dark) themes that will be presented in the story… and no flames plez… just constructive criticism!!

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Sasuke awoke to a light tapping on his door, rubbing his eyes before pulling his legs onto the ground. He crinkled his brows and he sought to find his slippers in the dark room as he called to the impatient visitor.

" Coming." Sasuke said loudly, finally finding his slippers. He deftly slipped them on and strided towards the door.

He swiftly swung the door open, immensely annoyed at whoever visited him at such an early hour. He was normally a morning person, but 3:00 am was way out of hand.

He swallowed a gasp though when he saw a sheepish Naruto standing on his doorstep. Wondering momentarily if it was a dream, because Naruto coming to his home at such an hour was nearly impossible, he blinked twice. 

For a second, he stood there drinking in the mere appearance of the mildly shy boy. The moonlight softly pooled over his hair turning it a mysterious silver, and his eyes glowed a bright blue with a childlike innocence; Sasuke saw that he detected a small hint of fear there. 

Biting his lip as he came to the conclusion that it was very much real, he moved aside to allow the boy in. Sasuke led Naruto in without a word and sat him on a small leather couch.

Sasuke raised two slender brows at the blond-haired boy, who was currently playing with his hands nervously and staring down at the ground as though it was the most interesting thing in the world. Sasuke took in a deep breath quietly; he knew that Naruto wouldn't come to his home at such an hour with out having a good reason to.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Naruto interrupted.

" I bet you're thinking right now why I'm sitting in your living room only hours before the sun rises." Naruto said quickly, his eyes still downcast. Sasuke was perplexed at the suddenly timid boy.

" Uh… well yes." He said carefully.

Naruto didn't lift his head, but Sasuke saw the small smile that played around his lips.

" I really don't know either. I mean, it seemed like the reasonable thing to do before but now that I'm actually in here and facing you… I think I've made a horrible mistake." Naruto said slowly, finally lifting his head up, Sasuke saw a faint blush of pink on his cheeks and nearly smiled.

" What's wrong?" Sasuke asked almost kindly, though it wasn't really in his nature to do that. 

Naruto paused at the concerned tone of his voice, apparently caught off guard as well, but his eyes continued to linger on Sasuke's pale handsome face. Seeming to think a bit before speaking, Naruto hesitated at his words.

" I… I had a dream."

" A nightmare?" Sasuke asked instantly. Naruto paused at his words, he was still unsure of whether he would classify it as a "nightmare." Of course, Naruto pondered, his dream did seem to have nightmarish qualities, even though he didn't remember it quite well.

" I'm not really sure. I can't even remember it that well… It just kinda chilled me, like there was something important I missed or something…" 

Sasuke peered at him curiously, but Naruto had caught the disbelieving look in his dark eyes. He suddenly realized how stupid he must look, coming to him in the middle of the night because he had some nightmare?? 

" I mean umm… What I mean is you know how Iruka once told us that dreams can sometimes tell the future, or like just be really weird and stuff??" Naruto stammered.

Sasuke nodded wisely. " Dreams can be interpreted in many ways, it was told before by men that it told us of the future or of the unknown. It was thought even to be a gateway or window to other dimensions."

" So could it be that where we have dreams in could be in an entirely different world?? Or dimension of something?" Naruto said softly, his face was shadowed so Sasuke couldn't see his features well.

" That could be possible." 

" Then would it be possible that someone could control what happens in that world, so kind of like control a person's dreams??" Naruto pressed on eagerly, though he wasn't too sure what he was getting at.

" Some would say it would be possible. There has been many stories throughout the ages about how people have accidently stumbled upon an entirely new world." Sasuke said slowly, contemplating on why Naruto would be asking these strange questions.

Naruto frowned, not because he wasn't getting his answers but rather because as together everything sounds, the pieces didn't seem to fit.

" If someone… tried to harm me through my dreams… would it be possible?" 

Sasuke immediately shook his head firmly.

" Our dreams are only in state of mind, our physical forms cannot be harmed at all because it is not what has ventured into the world. But it could be that your mental state and stability could be harmed and such, there have been severe cases of that."

" What happened."

" There have been cases throughout history about how people would commit crimes and blame it on being hypnotized, sleeping and that they were not in right state of mind. Scientists have concluded that this generally happens when a person is half-asleep…"

" So 'if' someone could control your dreams, they might be able to control your actions in the physical world by doing something to your mind." Naruto said, his eyes glazed with thought.

Sasuke caught on quickly and stared icily at Naruto.

" What are you getting at?"

There was a pause and Sasuke could see Naruto thinking quickly.

Naruto quickly shook his head and grinned brightly. He leaned over to slap Sasuke on the back, ignoring the incredulous look the other boy shot him.

" I'm sorry. It's just that…" Naruto froze. " Nothing…" 

No… He couldn't say anything to Sasuke. Sasuke was the one who caused this problem. Sasuke was the main issue. Naruto quickly changed the subject and looked around.

He wasn't surprised to see everything perfectly neat and tidy. There was not a speck of dirt in sight not was there even ONE perverted magazine. Naruto raised sceptical eyes towards Sasuke.

" Uh, nice place. I feel like I'm in some hotel room tended by a maid obsessed with cleanliness of something." Naruto laughed.

Sasuke glared at him darkly, annoyed by the fact that Naruto had changed the subject.

" You are in no place to say that, I've see your home before slob."

Naruto ignored his comment and got up all of a sudden, pushing his chair back with an ear-thundering screech. He began to walk around the room, inspecting it as though he was trying hard to find something. Sasuke watched him carefully, unsure of what exactly Naruto was doing.

Naruto looked around, stopping every so often as though he had found something interesting, but walking along again a few seconds later. Sasuke stared incredulously at the boy, wondering to himself why the hell he wasn't telling him to go away.

Because… Sasuke realized… he wanted Naruto to stay.

Naruto suddenly paused at a book-filled shelf and Sasuke saw that he was staring at the hundle of photographs in frames on top. Flinching when he heard Naruto cry gleefully, he jumped forward to push the photos down. But paused when he saw Naruto's awe-filled face.

Sasuke's eyes swept over the familiar faces of his parents, their features looking so much like his. He felt a wave of hurt and anger flow through him as always when he saw it.

" WAH!! Your parents!! I've never seen them before!!" Naruto reached out excitedly and clutched the photograph. He brought it close to his face and scrutinized it carefully, a smile still flat on his face.

Sasuke fought the urge to swipe the photo out of Naruto's hands and watched him instead. He frowned when he saw Naruto's expression turn to one of confusion.

He saw that Naruto's face was directed towards the shelf once again, at the two frames that were lying facedown. Unable to take the frames away in time, he watched his alarm as Naruto picked it up and glanced at it.

" GIVE IT BACK!!" Sasuke hollered angrily at last, leaning over to take the pictures away from Naruto. Naruto quickly jumped back, concern in his eyes. 

There was a brief silence, where only a harsh panting from Sasuke was heard as Naruto's bright blue eyes glowed eerily at him.

Sasuke tore his dark eyes away from as Naruto glanced at the picture the other boy wanted so much to keep him from.

There was a soft intake of breath, something Sasuke had expected as Naruto saw the younger version of the man… the man Sasuke vowed to kill.

" Your brother…" Naruto said quietly. 

He looked down at the picture in his hands, of the man and the woman happily tending with a boy on a bike while a smaller younger child stood behind the bushes, staring at them with sorrow-filled eyes. He lifted one finger to carefully brush it over the surface of the picture, over the smaller child's face.

He peered up at Sasuke with puzzled eyes, and found that Sasuke was unable to look into his eyes directly.

Sasuke didn't say anything, Naruto saw that his fists were clenched tightly, the white of his knuckles glowing in the moonlight.

Naruto walked forward, peering at the other boy curiously. He stopped when Sasuke flinched back and didn't know what to say.

" This is you isn't it." He finally said. Naruto lifted up the picture, pointing towards the small child at the back. 

Sasuke nodded miserably.

There was another short silence, tension hanging in the air. Naruto longed to place his hands on Sasuke's trembling shoulders but was afraid of what would happen if he did.

Sasuke's face was downcast, so Naruto couldn't see his face. 

" Sasuke?"

Sasuke chuckled darkly.

Naruto continued to stare at him intently.

" Tell me…"

Sasuke took a deep shuddering breath before a hoarse voice that didn't sound like Sasuke's at all began to speak.

" My parents always favoured my brother more." He started softly, startling Naruto because he never really expected him to speak. 

"He was the smart one, the brilliant one, the genius. He was the child anyone would be stupid not to be proud of. He was so amazing; there was no one better than him. He was the gem of the village and of my family. Uchiha Itachi, graduated top of his Academy class at age 7, had mastered the Sharingan by age 8, became a Chuunin at 9 and was already an Anbu captain at the age of only 13. 

"He was a miracle, the strongest of the strongest. My parents showed him love they never did for me." Saasuke continued quietly, his head bowed and his dark bangs shadowing his face. 

He chuckled, a bitter-filled sound that made Naruto shiver.

" Well… guess what?" Sasuke paused, a slow bitter smile forming on his face, though Naruto didn't see.

" Guess what…" Sasuke repeated darkly. 

"He turned on them! Their precious little boy, the one they loved so DAMN MUCH!!" Sasuke raised his voice, lifting his head to reveal dark eyes glinting with venom. 

" While poor me, poor Sasuke stood by. I always tried to make them proud, I did everything I could do!! But I could NEVER compare of my brother! No. He was the amazing one, NO ONE can be better than him. I'm just Itachi's younger brother, the weaker one!" Sasuke spat bitterly.

Naruto took several steps back unconsciously, shocked at the sudden outburst. He had a feeling Sasuke's been want to let this out for a long time.

" My parents never cared about me. But I always worked hard to make them show me the love they showed Itachi. For them to gaze at me with those proud eyes they always had for Itachi." Sasuke spit out his brother's name as though it was a dirty word.

" And- And and…" A shuddering breath. 

Naruto helplessly watched Sasuke, seeing his flawless pale features twist as the boy fought to keep control.

" Even after they FUCKING DIED!!! I tried so damn hard to make them proud! To show them that I'll fucking kill their astounding son for vengeance!! But you know what???" Sasuke breathed heavily, his voice choking with such despair that Naruto wanted to wrap the other boy in his arms. But he stood still, waiting for what was to come next.

" They're probably laughing at me right now!!!" Sasuke laughed crudely. " Of course you can't beat him Sasuke!! You're not good enough for that!! Because your brother is just so FUCKING WONDERFUL AND YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT!!!!" Sasuke yelled loudly, panting.

Naruto watched the eyes that glowed with such passion and rage, turned towards him but not even seeing him. Just seeing all that violent hatred in front of him, unable to pull himself away from the clutches of the past. 

Naruto saw all that and felt the urge to cry, because Sasuke had tears glistening at the corners of his eyes and Sasuke wasn't supposed to cry.  

" And… and…" Sasuke seemed so tired now, his voice haggard and softened, but the bitterness was still there. 

" I can't do anything… I'm useless… my parents are right… I've been working towards the goal of beating Itachi my entire life, training myself endlessly… And I do meet him… Then my heart stiffens and everything feels so unreal when he beats me so easily…" A huge wracking sob tore out of Sasuke's throat.

" All those times… before when he would comfort me and tell me mom and dad didn't hate me at night… and when he would train me and smile that smile of his… it came back to me in one huge torrent and I can't bear to believe that it was all fake… everything was a lie…." Sasuke ended softly, his eyes wide with innocent disbelief.

Suddenly, in such movements Naruto would never have recognized it in himself. He strode forward, pulling Sasuke into his arms into a tight embrace.

He wrapped his arms around Sasuke's torso, and held him tightly. Limp arms and shoulders shook against him and Sasuke's face was pressed against his shoulders, the cloth there getting damp and wet. Soft muffled whimpers and sounds that Naruto would never have expected from the cool Sasuke sounded from his shoulders. 

Naruto felt a painful tug at his heart and pulled the boy closer.

Sasuke… Sasuke was a normal boy as well, despite the fact that he seemed so perfect. He was lonely as well, and Naruto felt the overwhelming urge to get rid of that loneliness. He fought to find words of comfort.

" It's alright. We'll kick that bastard's ass." Naruto murmured softly, silently cursing the man that caused the boy so much pain. 

Sasuke suddenly pushed him away with such force that Naruto fell back. 

He immediately felt chilled at the cold anger that was in Sasuke's dark eyes. Eyes that burned with raw fury Naruto felt pain to know it was directed towards him.

" GET OUT!! You don't understand!!!" Sasuke hollered fiercely, his pupils dilated as pointed an accusing finger at Naruto.

Naruto backed off, he couldn't help but feel hurt by the rejection; Sasuke may be delirious but there was no mistaking the twinge of disappointment that threaded his heart strands.

" I-I didn't mean…" Naruto stammered, unsure of what to do in such a situation. The normally cool and stoic Sasuke was actually expressing his fury now, and Naruto wasn't mentally prepared enough for such a change in the boy.

Sasuke whirled around in rage, his eyes flashing and flung a book in his direction, Naruto stood still as the book skimmed the surface of his cheeks as he whistled by. 

His eyes were just as wide as Sasuke's, but hardly holding the same degree of hurt and confusion that reflected in the other shiobi's.

" GET OUT!!!! You don't get me!! NO ONE UNDERSTANDS ME!!!" Sasuke yelled. Naruto caught the brief glimpse of a lost and frightened Sasuke before the boy ran into another room and shut the door with a loud bang.

Naruto stared at the door in silence for a few minutes, then bent down and picked up the other frame on the ground that Sasuke had knocked down in his anger. It was the other picture of the two that had been put face-down. The glass was shattered into pieces, but the picture was not harmed.

On it was a young dark-haired boy, beaming estically with the strong lean arms of his brother with a smile that was equally wide, around his shoulders.

Naruto realized that… he really didn't understand Sasuke at all.

********************************************************************************

Iruka knocked slowly on the door; the dull thud was almost synchronized with the beating of his own heart. The door opened gently, and Iruka held his breath as a blond head peeked out of the small crack of the door.

" Iruka-sensei…" Naruto said dully, his eyes empty and tired. Iruka smiled warmly at the boy, hoping to spark up some of the eager boyish activeness in the boy. He was surprised when Naruto grinned brightly back, a wide Naruto grin. Although it was worn and tired.

Could Naruto be… could Naruto be back to normal?? Was he still mad at Sasuke?

"Can I come in?" Iruka asked hesitantly, peering at the boy with hopeful eyes. He sighed in relief when Naruto continued to smile and let him in.

Iruka walked in, once again feeling uncomfortable in his alien surroundings. This time, he took seat on a couch without been offered to first and felt suddenly shameful. Naruto didn't notice, and sat in front of him as well.

Iruka noticed that the boy's mind was elsewhere and waited patiently.

As though he had just noticed Iruka was there, Naruto jumped with a gasp when he glanced into Iruka's direction. He smiled sheepishly. Iruka coughed.

" Umm… Naruto, I'm came because I wanted to talk to you…"

" Naa~… I wanted to speak to you as well…" Naruto said quickly, waving his hand. Iruka stopped talking, he was honestly surprised. He had come to Naruto's house prepared to face the cold nerve-wracking boy he had before. Iruka leaned forward anxiously, his elbows on his knees.

" What's wrong?" Iruka asked worriedly.

Naruto looked away; seemingly uncomfortable with the genuine worry that was in his former teacher's eyes.

" It's about Sasuke." Naruto said softly, his blue eyes shining with something Iruka did not know of. He was relieved though, that there didn't seem to be any anger in those eyes. He asked anyways, just for good measure.

" Are you still… mad at him??" Iruka asked unsurely.

Naruto quickly turned his head, his eyes wide with surprise. 

" No! Of course not!" Naruto said quickly, but stopped right after, blushing at how immediately he had replied. Iruka stared at him curiously, a hint of a smile peeking at the corners of his lips.

" That's good to know, me and… Kakashi were really worried about you." Iruka said. Naruto looked touched.

                " Aa- eto…" Naruto muttered madly blushing as he looked away, but he still looked oddly nervous.

                " Naruto?" Iruka asked slowly. Naruto cocked his head back towards Iuka.

                " What about Sasuke?" 

                A pause.

                " Iruka… could it be possible that you can tell me about Sasuke's past??" Naruto said quickly, his blue eyes pleading.

                Iruka looked stunned for a moment before he shook his head sadly.

                " I'm sorry. But that information is to be kept confidential."

                Naruto pouted. " That's basically what Kakashi said as well." He said depressingly, looking so down Iruka wanted to laugh.

                " Why are you so curious?" Iruka said casually, nearly expecting the blush that flushed Naruto's cheeks red once again. He held down a laugh, the look on Naruto's face was rather comical; very much like a love-sick school girl. 

                " Sasuke's really sensitive about the issue… and… he's been doing a lot of strange things lately that got me to think maybe it had to do with his childhood or something." Nauto shrugged.

                Iruka stared silently at Naruto for a moment.

                " I've been meaning to ask you this for a long time, but Naruto… what exactly did Sasuke do to you?"

                Naruto didn't seem surprised at all at the question, though he was uncomfortable. He explained the situation quickly, and in brief un-detailed points. It was more than obvious that Naruto wanted to stay away from the issue, even though it was plainly important Iruka realized.

                Despite the fact that Iruka didn't get the whole story, he knew that Sasuke was definitely acting strangely. While if it were another, he would probably have though of it as a prank. But Uchiha Sasuke was not one to play pranks.

                Iruka rubbed his chin in thought while Naruto anxiously watched him, expecting an answer that would most likely clear his problems. His face fell when Iruka shook his head.

                " I really have no clue about what's happening. But like you, I have a bad feelings about this." A pause. " Naruto, if you have any problems…' Naruto noticed the desperate look in Iruka's eyes and knew the issue was far more than serious. " Promise me you'll come straight to Kakashi or me??" Iruka pleaded.

                Naruto stared at him dumbly.

                " Really Naruto, you must come to us." Iruka repeated again, before Naruto cleared his throat and nodded slowly. Iruka-sensei hadn't helped at all; Naruto thought in despair, he had only made it worse.

                Iruka seemed satisfied enough with his reply though, because he immediately smiled and stood up. There was still a concerned look in his dark eyes though. 

                " Naruto… how do you feel about Sasuke?" Iruka asked gently. Naruto was shocked by the question, face turning a brilliant shade of red.

                " I- I…" Naruto wanted to tell the man that he hated Sasuke, or that he found the other boy annoying, or even so that he disliked him… but he wasn't even sure himself anymore… and he wasn't sure about the words that would come out of his mouth. Things have become so confusing and such puzzling emotions and feelings that arise at the sight of his rival made Naruto's head hurt.

                How exactly DID he feel about Sasuke?

                Is it normal to feel nervous and self-conscious, yet comfortable and relaxed in front of someone you didn't care about?

                " I- I'm not sure… I" Naruto said quietly, his voice barely audible. Iruka raised a brow but did not question the boy further, somehow, he knew the answer already. So he interrupted quickly to save the boy from embarrassment.

                " I'll think I'll be leaving now… Kakashi wants me to bring him to some weird restaurant since I owe him from last night…" Iruka suddenly blushed, obviously letting out information he would rather have kept secret and Naruto decided not to ask.

                Iruka began to head for the door. Naruto stood up as well in politeness and followed Iruka to the door.

                He stood still as Iruka opened the door and walked out. Iruka looked back and smiled worriedly.

                " Naruto, there's a small celebration tomorrow in honour of your class for achieving so much. Promise me you'll attend? There will be a dance and refreshments and everything." Iruka said kindly.

                Damn! I couldn't worm my way out of that one! Naruto winced, feeling uncomfortable.

                " I- I don't do well socially…" He said quickly before Iruka interrupted him.

                " Just come Naruto, it wouldn't be the same without you."

                Feeling overwhelmed, Naruto nodded silently, before Iruka bid his farewell and walked down the steps. Naruto watched him until he couldn't see Iruka anymore and walked back into his home, closing the door gently behind him.

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WEE. Another chapter!!! ^_________^

How exciting ne??

The plot is pretty much going to come together in the next few chapters!!!!

YAY!!!!!!! YIPPEEE!!!!!!!

Ok… enough excitement.

Sorry about the whole Sasuke overreacting thing, I was just DYING to get them to have some physical contact or something. And how much do you want to bet Naruto wouldn't hug Sasuke for no reason for a hundred bucks? 

Emotional distress always helps us be less of the uncaring bastards we are.

Also, Sasuke SHOULD be rather sensitive about the whole issue…..

O yes!

WARNING WARNING WARNING…. Be careful of Sasuke acting normal again next chapter like my characters do all the time:P

My story SO does not flow.

The next chapter will come out before March Break, because I'm going to Florida YET AGAIN for the week… ya… my like fourth time going 0_o

I guuuuess…. I should be happy……. But no computer for a week ____

So review please! I live on them!!

CIAO!!!!!!!!


	9. A

WEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! *Cheers*

I got lots of reviews last time^^ *grins happily*

I'm seriously tired right now so I won't say much^_____^

I LUV U koganei!!!!!! Even tho u couldn't beta my story____

I sent it to you twice but you didn't answer back!! WAH!!! I hope you'll reply soon just for me to be sure you're alive or something!!

Beta my next chapter!! *orders u*

Sloth!! UR KOOL!! I hope u solved ur problem^^ Ppl!! Please take a look at his beautiful breath-taking Naruto fanart!!! ---------

And thanks to Ko-chan for dedicating her chapter to me, that was REALLy unexpected^____^

Also to everyone else who reviewed me^^

The story should be coming to a wrap soon enough! Thanks for being patient with me and ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!

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Naruto played with his drink, twirling the little red straw around the liquid in boredom. Yawning for a moment, he found himself glancing to the entrance to see if Sasuke had arrived again. Catching himself, he inwardly cursed and set his cup on the table.

There was no way Uchiha was going to come anyways, he told himself firmly for at least the tenth time that night.

He trailed his fingers along the side of his face, fingering the cloth that had been concealing the wound from the day before. It stings more than it should, Naruto realized. Sasuke had thrown the book with such brutal strength that it cut the side of his face a little. He felt saddened by the fact that Sasuke had actually been that angry.

 Prying his eyes away from the doors, he studied his surroundings and couldn't help but be impressed at the effort that was put into making this night. The auditorium was transformed into a beautiful party room.

Long richly coloured drapes flowed fluidly from the ceiling to the floor, and large coloured lights were set on the ceiling to swirl around in liquid shapes. At the center of the ceiling was placed a large disco ball, shining thousands of twinkling lights around the room, a good piece to the dimly lit room.

But most of all… A happy grin formed on Naruto's face as he caught sight of a huge table at the back, laden with plates carrying hot steaming delicious foods and snacks… The refreshment table!! 

Stalking his way over, past the large groups of chattering people in beautiful gowns and suits, Naruto's bright blue eyes quickly darted over the wide table, devouring the mere sight of all that heavenly food. Quickly grabbing a long fork and leaning over a savory-looking piece of dark meet, Naruto was prepared to attack it when a tap on his shoulders made him turn around in frustration.

Bidding a sad farewell to the food and vowing to visit once again. Naruto turned around with a heavy scowl on his face, which quickly diminished when he saw Sakura standing there.

" S-Sakura-chan…" Naruto gaped at her, the slender girl was dressed in a beautiful filmy pink gown that made her look like a princess, her pink hair was pulled back in a jewelled clip and her eyes sparkled happily. 

" Naruto! Don't I look nice?" Sakura smiled brightly, stepping back and twirling a bit to show off, her dress swooshed around her feet. Naruto blushed, unable to take his eyes off the pretty girl, the dress has done a good job of showing her nice curves and body to its full potential. 

" Y-You look really pretty Sakura…" Naruto said breathlessly. Catching the eyes of a couple other young men who stared at Sakura as well, he glared at them angrily as though promising death to them if they should dare to touch her. 

Immediately, his over-protectiveness that had formed throughout the years of their friendship came up full force.

" You can't wear that!!" Naruto said loudly, his eyes squinted. He began to jump around her, prodding at her with his fingers and clicking his teeth in displeasure.

" It's too tight and there's so little of it!!" Naruto exclaimed, much to Sakura's embarrassed dismay. He pointed accusingly at her low neckline and frowned.

" And look at that!!" He screeched. " How can ANYONE wear that so low, you can practically see EVERYTHING!!" Sakura tried to hide her madly blushing face behind her hands, aware of the stares Naruto had gathered.

" Naruto!" She hissed out of the corner of her mouth in panic. " Shut up!! You're embarrassing me!" Naruto ignored her comment and continued to look at her disapprovingly.

" You're going to attract a lot of unwelcome attention wearing that you know." Naruto remarked wisely, his chin resting on his hand. Sakura glared at him coldly, promising a death that would be soon to come. Naruto shivered from the glare and decided to back off. In a huff, Sakura practically fled away from the fussing boy.

" I can't wait to tell you I TOLD YOU SO!!" Naruto called after her, hands on his waist. He chuckled to himself, when he saw Sakura turn around swiftly in the distance to make a rude finger gesture at him.

Grinning to himself, he ventured around a bit more, food miraculously off his mind. Without knowing, his mind began to wander to the subject of Sasuke again. He could help but worry about the boy, but decided to ignore the overwhelming hope that he would be able to see him that night. His head was REALLY messed up these past few days! Geez? Was he actually starting to enjoy Sasuke's company?? 

Suddenly, the loud up-beat music melted dramatically into a slow-tempo-ed song and automatically, the students began to pair up themselves.

Naruto decided to back off at the corner and try hard to blend in with the wall. Just relax, he looked behind him at the dark blue wall and cursed under his breath. Damn, he HAD to wear bright colours that night. Forcing himself to breath normally, he hoped to god no one would notice him.

 Think dark blue… Think dark blue and become the blue…

Suddenly, he noticed a pretty brown-haired girl approaching him, someone that he didn't recognize. He decided that someone most likely invited her.

 Bracing himself for some kind of snide remark or cruel joke, he was mortified when the girl fluttered her long eyelashes flirtatiously and moved to stand beside him.

" I really love this song." The girl started cheerfully, still batting her eyelashes like it was out of control. " It would be nice to dance to it wouldn't it?" Naruto nodded, not really paying attention to her words but rather to her eyelashes… they were fluttering REALLY quickly and didn't look like they were going to stop.

The girl pouted, obviously, she had expected a different answer. She decided to go for a more direct approach.

" Would you like to dance?" She asked innocently, keeping her voice light and sweet.

" Huh?" Naruto stared at her dumbfounded. Weren't all the girls disgusted by him? Didn't they all hate him? Save for Sakura of course, he hadn't really expected anyone- especially a pretty girl like her- to try and talk to him… much less ask to dance.

" Would you?" Her voice raised several pitches higher, impatience seeping into it.

Naruto hesitated, his mind still jumbled and confused. If it were merely two weeks before, he would have jumped at the chance to dance with someone like her. But now… why the hell did he feel like dancing with someone else right now…?

/Like Sasuke?/ He jumped up according to his thoughts, startling the girl beside him. What the fuck?? NO WAY!!! Would he want to dance with that bastard! Especially after he blew up on him and everything… 

Naruto frowned deeply, but why in God's name did his words sound fake even in his own damn ears?!

Still very confused, he refused the girl (Much to her shock) and decided that he needed to go somewhere quiet to think. Naruto began to make his way to the entrance, but was halted by Iruka, looking very menacing guarding the doors.

" Umm… Can I go now?" 

" Nope, no one leaves until I tell you guys you can leave." Iruka answered stubbornly, his dark eyes fiercely telling Naruto that there were no exceptions.

" But I need to use the can!!" Naruto whined, waving his arms in desperation. Iruka shook his head.

" There's one at the back of the auditorium, beside the stage." He answered sternly.

Naruto sighed in defeat and made his way back to where he had been previously standing. His eyes caught sight of the stage, of which the curtains had been pulled closed since it was not in use. Brightening up exceptionally, he deciding to go behind onto the stage. He was sure there would be no one there, and the drapes should be enough to muffle most of the loud music. 

*************************************************************************************

" Sakura!! Naruto is getting cute ne?" A girl with black hair tied in a ponytail squealed, her eyes flickered towards the blond boy standing at a dark corner.

Sakura swung around in mad disbelief, nearly fainting with shock.

" WHAT??? Naruto?? Cute?? NO WAY!!!!" Sakura yelled out in surprised, before she clapped her hand over his traitorous mouth in embarrassment. She fought to keep her voice at a reasonable level. 

" Naruto is not cute Miyako!! Have you gone out of your mind!! Wasn't it only a while ago when you complained to me about how annoying he was and how much you wished he was dead or something!!" Sakura said quickly, her eyes wide. Miyako pouted, tilting her head to a side so that her ponytail fell against the side of her face.

" Sakuraaaaaaa~" She whined, twirling her dark hair on her finger. " That was years ago, ages ago. Naruto is actually really good-looking! I wonder why I never noticed that until now." She sighed dreamily, eyes not leaving Naruto. 

Sakura exhaled and turned around to see whatever amazing quality her friend saw in Naruto. Squinting her eyes, she looked long and hard at her team-mate, waiting for those familiar features she had known for half her life to magically turn into one of some movie star's.

" I don't see anything, he look like he does always Miyako." Sakura said wearily. 

" Oh Sakura!! Stop humbling yourself, you know how lucky you are to be so close to Sasuke AND Naruto." Miyako whined half-heartedly.

" Humbling myself!!" Sakura did a double face-fault, this was NOT happening.

Her other friend Chihiro stepped into the conversation as well with a large smile.

" I agree with Miyako, Naruto's really grown up to be quite the looker." She said with the same breathless voice. Sakura stared at her friends in barely concealed shock, unable to believe what she was hearing.

" No way!!"

" Of course Sakura!! Don't you know?? Naruto's gotten quite popular these past few months. Everyone's been saying how lucky you are to be on the same team as the two best looking guys in our year." 

" WHAT???" Sakura shrieked, mortified at the fact that 'everyone' actually classified two completely different people as Sasuke and Naruto in the same category.

" Those dreamy blue eyes and blond hair that is so adorably unruly all the time, and he's fit too!! Look at the lean wiry muscles under that willowy body!! I'm so jealous, how does he keep so fit eating all that ramen!!" Miyako said happily, clapping her hands together in glee. Chihiro nodded in agreement, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

" Oh my GOD!!" Sakura held her hand against her forehead in an overly dramatized gesture.

*THUMP*

" Eh? Sakura?"

A pause.

" WAAA~H!! Get help!  I think Sakura fainted!!"

******************************************************************************

Naruto quietly made his way to the concealed stage, hoping he was going unnoticed. Easily slipping behind the curtains, he sighed in relief when he made it there. He was right; the music hardly passes through the thick velvet curtains, silence and relief finally!

Taking a look around at his surroundings, he found that he had to walk through a short passageway before he could actually make it to the stage-ground. Walking carefully because he was almost blinded with the surrounding darkness, he hoped that he wouldn't do something like crash into the wall or something.

When he finally got to the dimly lit large expanse of space, he grinned happily. Finally alone!! Turning around to taking a look at his new dwelling for at least the next few hours, he gasped in shock at the sight.

Shit shit SHIT!!!

" Sasuke??" He yelled before realizing he did.

" Naruto?" Sasuke sounded bewildered as well as he quickly looked up from the keyboard, his eyes grew so wide Naruto had to laugh in spite of himself.

He quickly stopped though when he saw Sasuke's serious expression. Seeing the boy sitting in front of the large glossy grand piano under the lights brought him an eerie sense of déjà vu. Sasuke's eyes narrowed in confusion.

" What are you doing here?" He asked icily. Naruto frowned.

" Shouldn't I ask the exact same question?"

Sasuke's eyes softened and he looked down onto the piano, his fingers were still on the surface of the keys.

" I don't like those kind of things… with all those people…" Sasuke said softly. Naruto nodded in understanding. Sasuke stared at him sharply; both shifted uncomfortably.

" I didn't expect you to come Naruto… since…" Sasuke trailed off.

" I know! I was tricked into coming here by Iruka. No- more like black-mailed!" Naruto cut off. 

" To say the truth, I didn't expect you to come either. I know you well enough to know that you hate this boring reunion crap."

Sasuke tilted his head to a side, his dark hair spilling over; His mouth quirked up in a smirk.

" Would you not assume as always that I love all the attention given to me, so much that my head is probably bloated to the size of God knows what." 

Naruto glared darkly at him, though his eyes didn't carry the venom it did usually.

" Well DUH! But it wouldn't be polite to say that!" Naruto remarked, rolling his eyes. Sasuke snorted.

" As if you've ever been polite in your life baka." He ended easily. 

Naruto couldn't think of anything to say, so there was a short tense silence. He realized that, they both had their own issues and if Sasuke had been considerate enough to not bring up what happened before, then he probably shouldn't mention yesterday's incident as well. Naruto rubbed the back of his head, trying in vain to find a way to strike up a conversation. His eyes caught sight of the piano, sparking up his interest once more.

" You play the piano?" Naruto asked curiously. Sasuke's eyes widened a bit at his question before he looked down at the instrument fondly, though Naruto noticed a trace of sadness that had crossed his face.

" No… I don't. I know a bit though." Sasuke said lightly. Naruto's eyes perked up in interest, his eyes twinkled with excitement as he leaped over to push Sasuke to the side on the small piano seat and take place himself. Ignoring the slight rush that ran over him when he realized just how 'close' they were sitting, of course, the seat was meant for one only. But somehow, the thighs that were touching Sasuke's seemed much more heated and sensitive than ever. 

                Naruto tried hard not to blush and stared down at the piano instead, lips unravelling up in obvious interest.

                " Play something Sasuke." Naruto demanded suddenly, and turned around to have two intense dark eyes bearing down on him. He forced down the urge to shiver and flashed the other boy a bright grin. Sasuke stared at him for a moment before he peered down at the keys as well and snatched his hands away quickly.

                " No." He said quickly. Naruto's mouth fell open at the unfairness of it.

                " What? I bet you were playing before and you decided not to just because I was here." Naruto remarked crossing his arms over his chest. Sasuke gave him a look that clearly said "Are you stupid?"

                " Well Duu~h" Sasuke made a crude impression of Naruto's earlier expression. Naruto was slightly mollified at him. Sasuke shook his head.

                " Don't carry yourself around so highly dumbass. I don't play the piano for much more personal reasons for that." 

                " Why then?"

                " I shouldn't have to tell you. Uh, because I don't know how." Sasuke ended hastily, obviously wanting to get over this quickly. Naruto raised a brow at him.

                " You told me like a minute ago you know a little."

                " A bit." Sasuke replied immediately out of impulse. Afterwards, he looked like he wanted to slap his hand over his mouth. Naruto jabbed at finger at him, grinning triumphantly.

                " There! Now play!" Naruto ordered happily, not thinking at all that there was most likely a more personal reason to why Sasuke would not want to. Sasuke glared angrily at him.

                " No, I don't want to." He said stubbornly.

                " Plee~ase?? Just play a short song!! Anything! I love to see a person play an instrument!" Naruto whined. Sasuke's lips tightened, as though suppressing anger.

                " Fuck Naruto. If I don't want to, then I won't. This is not of your damn business, why the hell are you so god damn annoying sometimes." Sasuke said harshly. 

Naruto suddenly went silent, feeling hurt like he had been the day before when Sasuke exploded at him. Sasuke probably tells him he's annoying at least 5 times a week, but this time, it sounded a little too sincere. Damn! When the hell was he so sensitive about how Sasuke feels about him!

                Sasuke must have seen the hurt expression on Naruto's face because his angry face softened immediately, but not that much. 

                " I'm sorry." Sasuke said stiffly. Naruto's tense shoulders relaxed a bit, but he was too curious for his own good.

                " You know what just happened now…" Naruto started softly, afraid of how Sasuke would react to his words. " Does it have anything to do with yesterday??"

                Sasuke stiffened visibly. Before he let out a breath as though he had been keeping it in for a long time.

                " Oni-sa- I mean Itachi used to play the piano." He said wearily, sadly sounding too old for a boy his age. Naruto halfly expected the answer, so he didn't say much. But he couldn't help but wonder just how close the siblings were. 

There was a long pause, before Sasuke surprised Naruto by speaking again.

                " He was amazing at it, brilliant. Like in everything else he did. I used to love to watch him play, watch those hands skilfully dance across ivory and ebony like it was meant to be. He would play and he would sit on a chair beside him, wondering how exactly he could hardly practice but still play so beautifully." Sasuke said softly, his eyes glazing over in memory. It must have been a sweet memory of his, because Naruto noticed that Sasuke's lips touched up unconsciously.

                Sasuke's eyes suddenly hardened.

                " But you don't understand… no one really understands my pain." Sasuke said miserably. Naruto flew his arms out in annoyance.

                " Godammit Sasuke!! Clear out your dense mind for a moment and listen to me!! Stop going through all that "no one understands me" crap. It's not like I had the most ideal life in the world. Do you think it's all easy? Naruto's life? I may have no gone through the pain of betrayal, nor have I seen my parents die in front of my or something! But you have to know… that it's hard for me too." Naruto said angrily. 

                " I mean… do you realize… can you imagine? How it feels to have so much hatred and hostility be directed at you? To be treated with an animosity so intense as to be annihilating? To have around you many who would deny even the right to exist?" Naruto said difficultly, his throat seemed to be closing up on him and making it hard to speak.

                " I'm a human being too! I have feelings and emotions, and do you not think it hurts? To have everyone treat me like I'm a piece of garbage?' Naruto's eyes hardened with determination. " But it makes sense because that's what shapes me as what I am today? It's what keeps me going, the goal of finally having people acknowledge me. I admit, maybe being Hokage is going overboard, but I want people to recognize me as a person. As Naruto…" Naruto finished tiredly.

                Sasuke looked down to his hands ashamedly. He never knew Naruto had to endure so much before, it's given him a newfound respect for the boy.

                " I'm sorry… to burden you with all this… I didn't know what I was saying." 

                Naruto smiled at him.

                " It's awright, it's nice to let it out sometimes. And it might as well be me."

                " But why did he leave me? Why was everything a lie? I mean… if he hated me, why did he have to deceive me from the start." Sasuke painfully started again, even though he didn't expect an answer. Naruto thought for a moment, his brows bunching up because Sasuke seemed like he was never going to give up on this.

                " Because he's a bastard Sasuke. A sick cold-hearted bastard, and he should be dead than anything else. And you can do so much better than him." Naruto said slowly and sincerely. " But… he probably isn't all that I said he is… because no one could hold such a special place in your heart without having some good in him in the first place."

                At these words, Sasuke turned around and two eyes met in mutual understanding. Understanding the pain the other as gone through and knowing of the hardships and emotions they must conquer. 

Perhaps that was why Sasuke felt these puzzling feelings towards the clumsy blond-haired boy, because there was a deeper meaning between the two. And perhaps that why for the second time in his entire life, he was able to pour out all the emotions he had kept bottled up inside for so long. So he looked at Naruto, and simply took off the mask he had been wearing for so long. 

Then a single tear slipped down his cheek, but it wasn't for the self-pity, but because he knew he was finally able to let go of what he's been carrying around for so long. Even if it has shaped what he was today, he knew he couldn't live like how he lived for so long forever.

He finally realized… that he was in love.  

He was in love with the boy who was able to set him free from the cage of his past. He was in love with Naruto, and in some weird queer way, he knew he would probably love him forever.

" God Naruto… I miss his so much…" Sasuke finally cried out in anguish. In that cry came out all the pain and suffering he had indured but was able to let go. And somehow, he felt lighter than ever, but it still hurt. Because a wound so large would always leave a scar, but even with that scar would be the healing. He's been salting his wound for so long, but the love for the boy he had kept down finally rose to heal it.

Because that's what it's supposed to do.

Naruto stared at him in a confused understanding, and Sasuke felt like his heart would burst just at the glimpse of him.

" It's okay to miss him Sasuke… and it's okay to remember him. Just don't let your memories take full control of your life." Naruto said simply as though it was the easiest answer in the world.

With that, Naruto gave a large Naruto smile, so bright and heart-warming that Sasuke turned around, reached out and grabbed the boy tightly against his chest.

" S-Sasuke!!" Naruto cried out in shock, his body stiffening up at the unexpected contact. " What are you doing??"

Sasuke continued to embrace him, unable to believe what he has done. But he closed his eyes and relished in the sheer closeness of the other boy. For a few minutes, they sat like that and Naruto slowly relaxed, realizing that Sasuke would have a reasonable reason for his actions.

He wanted to tell Naruto so much that he loved him… but…

" Naruto…?" He said quietly.

" Ya?" Naruto jumped slightly.

" I- I…" Sasuke tried hard to get the words out of his mouth, but he couldn't. Because he was a coward and he was too afraid going through all that pain and suffering again just after he had been released from it. What if… what if Naruto refused him, it would hurt so much more than the pain Itachi could ever inflict on him.

" I-… Thanks Naruto… Thank you so much." Sasuke ended quickly, his eyes still closed.

Even though he couldn't see it; he knew Naruto was smiling.

Finally, because he sensed Naruto's discomfort, Sasuke leaned back reluctantly. And he stared down at the keys again, but this time in embarrassment. Naruto smirked at him, knowing he had the upper hand this time.

" Play." He demanded.

Sasuke sighed in defeat, was he not expecting this?

" What do you want me to play?"

" Anything. Your favourite." Naruto said quickly, eager to have the other boy play.

Sasuke pondered for a while, before his lips melted to a smile. Then he placed his fingers on the keys and steadied them in their right positions. He knew it all from memory so well.

" It's the only song I know… Itachi taught it to me when I was younger. It was his favourite song." He said quietly before he started.  
  
  


Then he began to play, a serene tranquil song, dreamlike and alluring. It was beautiful even though Sasuke played only a few tinkling notes. 

The song was all too familiar to Naruto.

It was the song- the song of his dreams.

"T-That song…"

*THUMP*

" Naruto?"

Naruto stumbled up from the seat and began to run, began to run from Sasuke and the stage. Then he ran out of the party, ignoring Sakura's cries and Iruka's barks of order.

Why did he feel like everything was coming together yet he did not know what?

*******************************************************************************

*YAY* Sasuke finally realizes his feelings~! Too bad Naruto's still innocently clueless!! But what exactly is happening now?? Why did Naruto run away?? Did he finally realize something?? What's happening??

Please find out in my next chapter, which will come soon if I get lots of reviews!! WEE!!!!

Mwah^^

*falls asleep*


	10. S

This chapter just about wraps the entire plot up… what you don't understand you may find the answers to in this chapter… and what other stuff you don't you will find in the NEXT chapter:P This is all I'm telling you!!

*bowsbows* GOMEN for the lateness… the TOTAL lateness of this chapter:p But it was extremely difficult to write, I can't deal well with plots^_^;;

THANKYOU 4 ALL of the reviewers, you will all have a special place in my heart always!! *blows kisses to adoring fans* *grin* Seriously! ALL of you!!!! I got a lot for the last chapter *feels proud*

O YAH!! Here's a WARNING you MUST NOT IGNORE!!! As I have said before, there were be dark themes presented in this story (pretty dark) so if u DON"T go for that stuff… I'd advise you not to go further than this chapter^______^;;

Yep… I'm not telling you guys anymore than that.

LOL!!! Thanks especially to my beta Koganei, who I have maintained contact with ONCE AGAIN!! *cheers* YES PPL! She's the one who wrote that HXH story we all know and love… and if you DON"T! Then go and read it, her account name is Killua Kiken na and she writes the most amazing stories… not all are on the same account^_^;; In fact, what brought us TOGETHER was my love for her writing!! SO YAY!!

Go read them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also to the whole Naruto_Yaoi group:p There's A LOT of fanfic writers and readers in there so I wanna give a shout to u too!! U GUYS RULE!!!! *laugh* Like err… I won't name anyone for fear of missing half the ppl in the group~.~' My memory is seriously THAT limited…

Lastly!! Horray for all the new fanfic writers!! I've been REALLY slow with the reviews:P But that would change in a while… You guys warm my heart though with your fantastic writing, so… KEPP WRITING!!

Sorry again for how late this chapter is… and how horrible it would be… may u be warned too that this chapter was done without the help of my muse… that's why it sucks so damn much!! ARG!! My muse is so damn unreliable!!!

*****************************

Sasuke stared after the entrance where Naruto had run out, a sad smile on his face. He felt a strange emptiness inside of him that made him want to drop down and forget everything. But he couldn't, because Naruto was not one you could easily forget.

" Naruto…" Sasuke sighed, loving the sweet taste of the name on his lips every time he said it. But this time, it left a bitter aftertaste, and Sasuke felt the strange tugging at his heart he experienced every single time he got rejected by the boy. Yet it was intensified by 10 times more than usual because he had finally realized why he felt this way.

Sasuke left his fingers to ghost over the keys, still torn by the fact that he should have run after Naruto. 

He pressed down on a key experimentally, savouring the melodious music the piano never failed to produce. Like music, Naruto was not something he could give up easily either.

Sasuke finally took his hands away from the piano, letting one hand to faintly trail over his face and push back a dark lock of hair that had fallen in front of his face. His full eyes hardened just a little, because he hated the fact that he loved Naruto. He hated the fact that when his heart could finally open up to love once more, it was for one that could not possibly love him back. And he despised himself, for not staying strong and able to block himself from such emotions.

Sasuke finally felt his defenses drop back and buried his face into his arms, ebony strands of hair as black as midnight, like the smooth ebony keys of the piano, fell in front of his head and shadowed his face from view. 

Sasuke gave a long defeated sigh.

Most of all, he hated love, that stirred up such a weakness in his heart that he would be willing to give up his life- to save a precious person.

**********************************************

Naruto continued to run, unable to stop because for at the back of his head, he was afraid. Afraid of something that should not be there to slowly rise from his heart. Naruto ran some more for what seemed like hours before he stopped breathlessly and fell to the ground heavily.

Naruto gasped for breath, his blond hair wet and matted flatly onto his head due to perspiration. Unfocused blue eyes searched around wildly for some clue of his location. Naruto suddenly saw that he was at Iruka's home, or near it anyways. Naruto dropped over onto his back, uncaring of the fact that he was in the middle of the road and shut his eyes under the bright glare of the sun.

Damn, it was so hot. He should have known better than to run in such scorching heat. His head seemed to be spinning around in circles, and his mind was hazy and unclear. Naruto continued to breathe unevenly and harshly; his muscles were sore and numb. He didn't think he could move a muscle. 

Naruto threw an arm over his face, let his breathing slowly decrease back to normal and relaxed slightly. He frowned under his arm. He really shouldn't have left Sasuke there. Hell, it would cause even more misunderstandings between them. Naruto felt his heart beat just a little faster again, even though he wasn't running anymore.

He had really enjoyed that hug, the sincere care that radiated from Sasuke's firm warm body still left tingles all aver Naruto's skin, making his hairs prickle up at the thought. He enjoyed it so much it scared him; because he wasn't supposed to 'enjoy' it! He was supposed to feel disgusted and grossed out, not happily light and cheerful!! 

Naruto shook his head wildly! Gah! He remembered before, how when Sasuke came leaning towards him and opening his lips as if to speak… How Sasuke's face seemed to be surrounded by little pastel flowers and an annoying rip-my-ears-out song was playing sweetly beside his head… 

Naruto rolled his eyes, isn't that something you would normally see in some shoujo manga before some dazed couple kiss or something?? Naruto forced a half-hearted gag at the thought, then strangled out a laugh out of his throat that sounded more like a cat screeching.

Sasuke and him KISS??? Ugh, it was enough to make him throw up. 

Naruto sighed deeply, feeling the heat of the sun beating down on him. It wasn't right though, that his heart should be racing at the mere thought of it… and the hell?? Was he freaking blushing??

Naruto was relieved Sasuke wasn't here to see it. But he felt a tingle of sadness and regret touch his heart when he thought about the young shinobi, sitting at the piano by himself quietly… and wondering what the HELL was wrong with Naruto to make him run out like some demented retard out of nowhere. 

He knew though, that it wasn't because of Sasuke that made him feel extremely uncomfortable. But rather the music; it sounded so eerily familiar to him it was scary.

Naruto decided not to think about it, and swung himself up instead. Brushing the dirt and grass off his clothes, he made the choice of going to Iruka's house. He really didn't feel like talking to anyone, and he knew that the first place everyone would go search for him would probably be at his house. He could probably climb in through the window, boil up some cup ramen and just chill. Then Iruka would come home and Naruto would be up for some light-hearted talk… 

Naruto took a deep breath and exhaled it out again, feeling a lot better and a hell of a lot less confused than before. Lying on the ground in the middle of the road really helps; maybe he should tell Iruka about it if the man was having problems with his boyfriend. Naruto laughed quietly to himself, and began to whistle a cheerful tune as he walked to Iruka's house.

There was an upside to his running out after all; he was finally away from that dratted party.

***

Naruto stared at the window for a moment, struck by a fleeting moment of memory- before everything got all crazy. Perhaps that was when it all started, Naruto remembered himself climbing into Sasuke's room, all ready for a prank when…

Naruto's brows crinkled up, was it then when it all started? Maybe it wasn't Sasuke that was acting strange, maybe it was himself. When did he EVER think Sasuke was PRETTY?? 

Naruto shrugged it off quickly, deciding not to go into the topic before he gets into one of his confusing phases again. He grabbed hold of the windowsill and was about to clamber in when Kakashi stuck his head out and stared at him.

" Arg!" Naruto yipped before he fell back heavily back onto the grass and glared angrily from the ground at Kakashi. The teacher's eye crinkled up in a grin, before he leaned forward at the window to grab hold of Naruto's outstretched hand and pulled him up.

Naruto dusted himself off and glanced suspiciously at Kakashi. " What are you doing here anyways?" Naruto asked. " Iruka isn't there is he?"

Kakashi shook his head, " Nope. He's at the party thing isn't he?"

Naruto sneered. " Yah, having the time of his life keeping us locked up like we were jailed."

Kakashi looked amused.

" And how did you get away?" 

Naruto suddenly put his head down and smiled sheepishly. " I'd- rather not talk about it." He answered. Kakashi didn't look surprised. There was a brief uncomfortable silence before Kakashi broke into it with a light-hearted laugh.

" Stay there, let's take a walk. I have something to tell you." Kakashi said quickly, before he disappeared into the house and came out of the door a few seconds later. Naruto stared at him in question. 

" What?" 

Kakashi shrugged, " I tell you after we walk a bit but…" Kakashi looked at Naruto in concern, already starting to walk towards the dusty feet-treaded road. " But if you have anything to tell me, I'd be happy to listen to you…" 

Naruto hopped after him, coming in step with Kakashi. " Hah! You wish you insensitive bastard! You'd only make fun of whatever I'd say." He laughed. Kakashi didn't say anything to the rude comment, but instead, he kept his gaze fixed on the road.

Naruto stared at him for a moment; a little perplexed about Kakashi's strange behaviour before he decided the man was going through one of his "moods" again.

" Kakashi, say something!" Naruto complained; they had been walking for a while. But Kakashi didn't answer yet, and Naruto realized then that they were heading into the forest where they had been in for their shinobi test a few days earlier. 

" Eh? Why are we coming here?" Naruto asked quickly, a little nervous from what had happened the last time he had been there. Kakashi shrugged at him.

" I think it's a beautiful place to walk by." He answered simply. Swiftly, he tread into some unknown trail and beckoned for Naruto. Naruto paused hesitantly before he walked forward; why were his palms going sweaty?? 

" Eh Naruto, how do you feel about Sasuke?" Kakashi suddenly asked.

Naruto cast him a disbelieving look. " Wow, you and Iruka are really alike, he asked me the exact same thing!" Kakashi gave him a strange look before he coughed for Naruto to continue.

Naruto crooked his head sideways in thought, thinking about why everything he did and thought about these days were always surrounding the topic of Sasuke.

" I- I hate him." Naruto answered bluntly, knowing that it was wrong but not caring anyways. If Kakashi was surprised, he didn't show it, though there was a small stagger in his steps.

" Why? Sasuke seems to care about you enough." 

Naruto nearly choked on laughter. " CARE??? Hah! That bastard hates me just as much as I hate him! Probably even more!" He laughed giddily, before he quieted from Kakashi's solemn stare.

" Are you sure?" Kakashi answered seriously, before he quickened his pace and left Naruto to his thoughts.   
                

Naruto suddenly remembered Sasuke helping him the last time they had been in the forest; he felt a flash of guilt, both for not appreciating the boy then… and still not appreciating him now. Now that he thought about it, how many times had Sasuke risked so much just to help him.

God… he even risked his life for him once… what did Naruto have to show for it?

Naruto felt horrible, why was he so mean to Sasuke anyways? Was there any valid reason that should have him hate the boy so much? Was he really jealous of Sasuke?  Or more jealous of the girl's that flaunt themselves around him… because they could opening show their feeli- 

Naruto choked out loud at his thoughts, causing Kakashi to throw a casual glance back. Naruto forced out a few coughs, and quickly grimaced when Kakashi looked away again. Feelings for Sasuke? Why was he having these thoughts anyways??

Naruto quickly ran up to catch up to Kakashi and stared at him.

" Do you really think Sasuke cares about me?" 

Kakashi shrugged and gazed at Naruto levelly. " Dunno… that's why I asked you."

" Not SERIOUSLY! I mean… I know he has helped me a lot and stuff… but he tells me I'm an idiot all the time and uh…" Naruto stammered, a heavy flush turning his face red. 

" I-I don't think I really hate him." Naruto said after a brief pause. " I mean, he's okay sometimes… tolerable I mean."

Kakashi's eyes crinkled up, and Naruto wondered of he was smiling. He never had a problem distinguishing Kakashi's facial expressions, but if he was smiling… it didn't seem all that sincere.

They walked in silence for a while, and Naruto began to really take note of his surroundings. He recognized most of it, the immaculate beauty was still there, seemingly untouched. But the wisps of sunlight were dimming to a hazy warm orange and Naruto knew the sun was about to set.

" Eh? Kakashi, it's getting late! I think we should get back now." Naruto said nervously. Kakashi continued to walk swiftly, not slowing down the slightest. Naruto suddenly stopped walking, feeling growing anger and apprehension swell inside of him.

" KAKASHI! We should go back!" Naruto hollered at him, stamping his feet on the ground. Kakashi didn't stop, and Naruto decided to sit down and wait for the man to come back. " Kakashi you bastard…" Naruto muttered with a pout, because only his teacher knew how to get back.

Naruto waited a little when he suddenly caught sight of a massive tree and walked over beside it. Climbing over large roots with damp green moss, he made a face at the green streaks it made on his pants. But running over quickly beside the tree, he touched the rough wizened bark gently. He recognized the carving Shikamaru had made and grinned in spite of himself.

" Ne ne~ Kakashi! Come over here! Shikamaru made this!" Naruto laughed, too caught in staring at the carving to notice anything else. " Can you believe he likes Ino??"

Naruto realized only after a little while that Kakashi had not made a sound since he had run away. He was just about to turn around to yell at him when a pair of strong lean arms wrapped around his waist.

" Caught you." A husky voice whispered beside his ear; a voice Naruto recognized as Kakashi's.

Yet there was something terribly wrong with it.

***

" Sasuke!! Have you seen Naruto??" Iruka ran towards him, breathing erratically as though he had been running a lot. 

Sasuke stood up, there was such desperate worry in Iruka's eyes that he knew something was serious had happened. " Yeah, he was here a while ago but left." Sasuke tried hard to keep the hurt out of his voice, but Iruka noticed anyways and smiled gently.

" Naruto… is really oblivious when it comes to people's feelings." Iruka said softly, before he gasped like he suddenly remembered his true motive for coming to the boy. 

" How long ago?" Iruka asked urgently. Sasuke peered down at his hands. " About 4 hours ago." He answered quietly. Iruka looked frustrated, he tightened his fists.

" Damn…" He swore under his breath. He drew a deep breath. 

" What?" Sasuke asked.

Iruka stared at him for a moment and gave a haggard sigh. " There's something we have to tell you…"

" We?" Sasuke questioned quickly.

Then curtains behind Iruka fluttered up and Kakashi walked up from behind Iruka, peering at him seriously.  

" Your brother… Itachi…" Sasuke's head whipped up with a fire burning in his dark eyes.  

"Aniki? What's wrong?"

Kakashi and Iruka both watched him with grave eyes. " He has killed many of the members of Akatsuki a few weeks ago. The remaining are looking for him, we've found out from our sources…" They sounded unsure of telling this to Sasuke, and the boy suddenly figured out that it was supposed to be kept confidential from him.

" Akatsuki?" Sasuke demanded immediately. 

" A group that Itachi is part of… the one who is bent on capturing Naruto." Kakashi ended softly, his eyes not leaving Sasuke's face. Sasuke felt bewildered, why did they want to capture Naruto?? Naruto was strong but… why would some group like Akatsuki want him?

" But… I mean if Itachi rebelled against them, then it means that he's joined our side again or..." Sasuke started, spark of hope flaming in his heart. It died out painfully when he saw Kakashi's grave expression, and he knew that he had known always that Itachi would never do such a thing.

" Why though?? What's happening, I don't understand! What's going to happen to Naruto?" Sasuke yelled out impatiently, an overwhelming feeling of protectiveness and a fear of the safety of the blond-haired boy made him think irrationally. His fist tightened up dangerously, the knuckles cracking distinctively and he felt anger burning through his veins.

" WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO NARUTO??" Sasuke screamed again when they didn't answer, demanding of the answers he has been kept from for so long.

Iruka stepped forward, pulling his hands up in attempt to calm Sasuke down. " Wait… that's the thing… we don't know." Iruka lowered his head sadly. " We don't know…" He repeated, feeling miserably hopeless. Kakashi put a comforting hand on Iruka's shoulders, his eyes shining with determination.

" But we'll find him Sasuke. We've already got everyone out to find him, and me and Iruka are going to go out now to look around for him." Kakashi told him. " He has to be nearby, there's no way… No way that Itachi could have reached him yet…" 

Sasuke recognized the dying hope that was in Kakashi's voice… Kakashi wasn't even sure; he was just trying to console himself. Console himself while NARUTO IS FUCKING OUT THERE!!!!!!!!

Sasuke ran forward, shoving Iruka away and grabbing Kakashi by the cuff of his shirt. He pulled the man roughly towards him, eyes flashing with anger and confusion.

" Tell me… what the fuck is happening??"

Kakashi stared at him with empty eyes, though there was a trance of regret in them. He hesitated before he started, ignoring the urgent look Iruka gave him. 

" Have you ever heard of the Nine Tails demon. How he was vanquished by the Fourth?" Kakashi said seriously. Sasuke nodded.

" Nine-Tails is not "gone". He was sealed. We couldn't destroy it, so there was no choice but to trap him and hope that he would never escape." Kakashi paused, and gave Sasuke a long hard look. " It was a young blond-haired blue-eyed baby we sealed it in."

It took a second for what Kakashi's head to sink in. No… It couldn't be… It can't be… Not Naruto…

" God…. No… no no no…" Sasuke muttered to himself, pushing Kakashi away and backing away to the door. He stumbled a bit and caught himself… " No… no no no…" Sasuke repeated quietly, before he pushed his palms against his ears and raced out of the room.

It all made painful sense now… all this mysterious chakra Naruto had always been able to push out sometimes, even though he was a second near exhaustion.

Sasuke couldn't stand the ear-thundering ringing that was in his ears, like the last times Naruto had been in near-death situations. When he had been sick in the forest… and when the boy named Haku had nearly killed him… There was the same ringing, except it was louder than ever now.

He needed to get away from it… get away from it all…

Get away from Naruto.

***

" Kakashi?? The fuck?? What are you doing?" Naruto yelled furiously, squirming in Kakashi's tight hold. Kakashi chuckled, a low cold laugh that made Naruto shiver from cold fear. Naruto tried to move his arms, but they were pushed to his body with such strength his struggles were futile. Naruto growled in frustration.

" Kakashi??" The low sinister voice whispered silkily beside his ear, his warm breath fanning against Naruto's earlobe and causing him to shudder. Naruto suddenly felt a hot wetness against his cheek… 

" What the HELL ARE YOU DOING!!" Naruto hollered sharply, panic seeping into his voice. He tried again to break free from Kakashi's grip but failed to. 

He couldn't see Kakashi's face, but he could see the man's long white hair softly brush against his eyelids. The man flicked a tongue out and began to drag it slowly upwards towards his ears. Trailing his lips there before opening his mouth to gently suckle on his ear lobe.

" The FUCK???" Naruto jumped. Using his anger to drive his strength, he shoved an elbow forcefully into Kakashi's stomach and broke free when the arms loosened from surprise.

" Get away from me!!" Naruto yelled, whirling around in fury. 

He was caught in surprise though when he was roughly shoved against the tree and two strong arms slammed against the tree on either side of his head to prevent him from moving. Naruto's eyes narrowed dangerously, but he stood still as Kakashi stared at him amusedly.

" What the hell are you doing Kaka- ." Naruto was cut off by his own shock and disbelief as Kakashi's fine features began to change. 

Long tendrils of silver hair began to turn raven black at the roots, sinking back into the scalp to a shorter cut. The face began to smoothly change to a wider younger shape. The nose became more sharply defined and smaller, and wider dark eyes peered back at him… pools of the darkest night. The mask was gone, sinking back into the face as the usual grim line of the boy's face was pulled up in a sulty smile.

Naruto was stunned beyond belief.

" S-Sasuke…" He managed to choke out, before the taller shinobi's soft lips descended onto his and he couldn't speak.

***

Yay!! Ok… this chapter is choppy and horrible and it also took like FOREVER to come out… like TOTALLY!!! For those who guessed that Itachi had a huge role in this story… I will take this time to say…

Yes… Yes he does.

But like I said, sorry for the wait. I mean… a month and a half or what?? But here's the good news, the next chapter should come out in little time:P

O Yah!

I got lots of reviews for the last chapter and I was VERY happy!! 

Let's make Cheryl happy again????? PLEASE??????? LOLOL!!!

Just review!!

One LAST thing!!!!!!! Yes… GRRR….

This story does NOT NOT NOT follow the natural storyline of Naruto… because if it was… Sasuke would be unconscious right now^___^;;

U see… When I started this, none of that stuff had happened yet (Sasuke falling unconscious and Naruto following whasit-name) so my original plan for the story has now turned into a what-if!!!!

So NONE of you may badger me about how… blah blah blah…

This doesn't make sense… Naruto yadi da… bleh bleh… I dun care!

O yah!! PPL??? For the story "Like an Angel" I must have had like half the reviewers tell me to write a the next chapter/sequal for it… AFTER I already wrote breath!!

HELLO??? THIS is the sequal!! READ THE SUMMARIES GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There… I've gotten that off my back now^___^;;

BYE!


	11. U

Gosh, it took a lot of hard work to finish this chaper^^

It's demented, it's twisted, but I LOVED writing it *grin* Yes… the basic plot has been in my mind for a LONg time and I've been DYING to bring Itachi out and YAY!! He's finally out!!! LOL!!

I want to thank my reviewers, because gosh… *starts fanning myself dramatically and blinking away tears* I would have gotten so far without you. I want to thank my wondering Koganei, my parents- yes!! All my luv to you! And my wonderful manager Pikapig:P

*pause* Oh yes, and all the little people I had to step on to get to this point.

….

….

….

*starts laughing hyserically* I swear to GOD I will be sued for these demented comments some day!

I would like to acknowledge Ko-chan (Not Koganei-chan… they happen to have the same nickname^^;;) because she has painstakingly written all these wonderful reviews for me!! YAY^^ *glomps her*

Also, I'd like to answer a question from the reviewers for chapter nine^^ Which I have neglected in my laziness.

To Shinobi Mistress710: Yes, they kissed alright^^;; But it was because some dude at the front (bless you child) happened to push Naruto accidently and he kinda "fell" on Sasuke *cackles*

Then for chapter 10-

Icka M. Chif: Naruto isn't actually feeling weird about the case of homosexuality behind their kiss, but rather the kiss itself^^; He happens to be extremely confused about his feelings for Sasuke and at the moment couldn't stand the fact of him kissing the boy he's hated for so long^___^;; It's has completely nothing to do with the fact of him being gay if he did, because Naruto is obviously ok with this^^; (even in the manga, whereas he reacted quite naturally towards Haku and Zabuza's relationship)

Now read my story^^ May I warn you though, that I've got Itachi acting like more like Orochimaru than anything else *laughs*

***

" Damn you Naruto… Damn you for being the Nine-Tails demon… Just damn you…" Sasuke cursed under his breath, his face blank and emotionless. 

                Sasuke tried not to remember… But he couldn't. He could see those light blue eyes that were as blue as the sky itself, and the blond hair as bright as the sun. And most of all, he couldn't stop that brilliant smile playing over and over in his head, that shone as vividly the sun and warmed him to a degree that every time he saw it he couldn't forget, because it was burned into his memory and had decided to stay there.

                He couldn't forget the annoying attitude he had either, and how much he loved it. Number One loud-mouthed ninja, Sasuke chuckled, Naruto would never stop competing with him, and even in the beginning, he admired the young shinobi for his determination, his up-beat personality.

                Sasuke knew he would always give up his life, just for the sake of Naruto… Yet Naruto was out there right now in danger- so why couldn't he move?

***

"Shit… We lost him." Iruka ran back to Kakashi, a trace of a sad smile on his face.

                Kakashi frowned deeply, not knowing what to say. " He really cares about Naruto, more than he'll ever know." Kakashi sighed, " but he knows not yet of the greatest secret even Naruto himself is kept from. I cannot even think of the grief it would cause for him when he finds out." 

                Iruka sniffed and faced the opposite direction of Kakashi, " He would not find out, because it is of no importance to us. Naruto is with us now and that is all that matter. The most important thing is finding him… and keeping him safe with us." Iruka said stubbornly, his voice suddenly colder than before.

                Kakashi suddenly grabbed him from behind, wrapping his arms around his waist and digging his own head in the crook of Iruka's neck. He pressed a loving kiss against Iruka's cheek. 

                " I'm sorry for mentioning that…" Kakashi whispered against his ear. Iruka sighed, and leaned back on the other man.

                " It's ok… It's just that it's foolish to talk about things that would never happen." Iruka said quietly. Kakashi felt a stab of pain to his heart, the overwhelming kind that could only be there from the worry of someone you loved so much. Iruka loved Naruto like a son, so much that he had been in denial his entire life.

                " I love you so much…"

                " I know… but…" Iruka gently pried away Kakashi's arms. " The most important thing, is to find Naruto immediately." 

***

Naruto was shocked to a point that he couldn't move, and was forced to stay still as Sasuke's soft but tentative lips pushed against his own gently. Sasuke pulled back slightly to flash a humoured smirk at Naruto, his dark eyes glinting maliciously before he grabbed the back of Naruto's skull and harshly kissed him again, pressing so hard it was bruising and Naruto was knocked back to attention from the pain.  

                " Get off me!" Naruto tried to yell against Sasuke's mouth, but the other boy had taken the chance to slide a warm wet tongue out and push it past Naruto's lips and into his mouth. Naruto swallowed a startled gasp and stared back at Sasuke with widened blue eyes as the other boy began to probe around his mouth. Getting over his disbelief, Naruto's eyes quickly flared up with indignant anger once again and bit down on the other's boy's tongue mercilessly. 

                Sasuke jumped back from the pain and quickly pulled back from Naruto's mouth. His mouth twisted furiously as he quickly lifted an arm towards his mouth and wiped it swiftly. His expression darkened though, when he spotted the traces of blood on his skin and scowled angrily at Naruto.

                Naruto tried to twist away, but Sasuke quickly grabbed hold on his shoulders and gripped on firmly. He gave a slow unfeeling sneer as he leaned close to Naruto, so much that their noses were nearly touching.

                " You are quite the handsome little fox." He murmured, his warm breath fanning over Naruto's lips. " I can see why little brother likes you so." He lifted a pale hand up to rub Naruto's face gently, letting lean agile fingers dance across the thin lines across the other boy's face gracefully.     

                Naruto'e eyes widened in surprise, and before he could react, Sasuke suddenly pulled down forcefully on his hair at the back of his head, exposing the large expanse of his smooth neck. Sasuke let his fingers trail along the pale translucent skin before he suddenly ducked down to press his lips against the nape of the neck.

                " Get OFF!! Why are you doing this Sasuke!!" Naruto cried angrily, he struggled to pull away from Sasuke's hold but the other boy continued to hold onto the back of his skull forcefully. The other hand slammed on the side of him, giving him no chance for escape and two legs pushed against his own to trap them and keep them immobile. Naruto shivered uncontrollably, as the hand that had been holding the back of his head suddenly let go and slid down his back, rumpling in shirt along the way.

                Sasuke continued to press his lips against his the neck, suckling softly every so often. Naruto could feel the unconcerned smile against his skin, and knew that Sasuke was enjoying his reaction.

                " I can hear your heart beat, the blood pound loudly and rapidly." Sasuke whispered huskily.

                Sasuke's soft kisses fluttered up to the side of his chin, before he bit down harshly and Naruto jumped from the pain. Sasuke's tongue suddenly darted out to lap at the blood gently, and a slow smirk slid upon his lips at the taste. Naruto quickly moved his head to the side, trying to avoid Sasuke's touch. But the dark-haired shinobi grabbed a firm hold on his chin and forced Naruto to face him instead.

                Suddenly, Sasuke took both hands to grip onto both sides of Naruto's head, and crushed his lips against the other boy's demandingly and possessively, swallowing the other's startled gasp. Not waiting, he slipped his tongue into Naruto's warm mouth once again, exploring it thoroughly. Naruto's eyes slid shut, tasting the metallic taste of his own blood. This couldn't be happening.

                Before he knew it, tears had begun to seep out of his closed eyelids, running down his chin and leaving a wet salty trail. Tears of helplessness and despair, and he felt a growing emptiness inside of it that threatened to swallow him up and consume him.

                Sasuke suddenly paused, his lips still against Naruto's. He could hear the soft whimpering noises that Naruto had been unable to keep in.

                Sasuke leaned back, and let his hands fall down to Naruto's shoulders. But he still kept a strong grip, unwilling to let the other boy free. He studied Naruto quietly, Naruto didn't notice, but Sasuke's dark eyes softened the slightest. Naruto's face was trembling, and Sasuke pressed down hard on his shoulders to stop the shaking, but to no avail. 

                " You're scared…" Sasuke observed coldly.

                " No… no no no… Sasuke, stop doing this…" Naruto whispered softly and hopelessly, tears still pouring down his small flushed face. He couldn't stop shaking. In immense fear and shock, he didn't even seem to realize that Sasuke in fact had stopped already. 

Sasuke remained silent, contemplating the other boy before he leaned down to softly lick away the salty tears. Naruto whimpered fearfully, shrinking back unconsciously and Sasuke pulled his lips back.

                Giving a long tired sigh, Sasuke pulled up to kiss Naruto's closed eyelids gently to cease the soft crying. " Stop crying." He said stiffly, his cheek against Naruto's forehead. But Naruto continued to choke up, harsh sobs tearing out of his throat every once in a while. Sasuke pressed a soothing kiss against his forehead and wrapped his arms around Naruto.

" Stop crying…" Sasuke repeated again, his dark eyes unblinking. Naruto drew a shuddering breath. "STOP CRYING!" Sasuke yelled suddenly, before he abruptedly pulled Naruto by the side of his arms to push him to the ground.

Naruto's eyes opened in surprise and Sasuke walked beside him to straddle his hips. Sasuke leaned forward so that his forehead touched Naruto's shoulder and sat there silently for a moment.

" Beautiful demon… I need you fox boy."

Naruto turned his head around, so that he could see the other boy, but Sasuke's face was hidden by his dark hair. " Who… Who are you…" Naruto asked quietly.

There was a brief silence and the only thing heard was the soft whisper of the wind among the trees.

" Do you know… that for my whole life… what I desired was to achieve complete and utter perfection, to reach the boundless power that even I myself would have to step out of my limits to accomplish…" A low voice came forth, as Sasuke's hair brushed softly against his face.

" And yet…" 

Naruto could feel Sasuke's chest rise and lower, their breathing was almost synchronized. Each breath was both uneven and harsh, fast and rapid.

Sasuke crooked his head back to face Naruto, solemn eyes studying his every feature. He pulled a hand up to brush it calmly against Naruto's face.

" Such innocence… such purity…" Sasuke murmured, giving a dark chuckle afterwards. " Yet you hold such an evil inside of you, so corrupt and utterly vile that every one flinches at the mere sight of you…" Sasuke smirked, his face still against Naruto's chest. 

                " That's because they know how powerful you are… they are afraid of you. Because they know…"

                Naruto swallowed. " Know what?"

"That you hold the greatest power of all- the power of destruction." Sasuke continued, his hand stroked Naruto's face slowly, and Naruto couldn't pull his eyes away from those dark sad pools of blackness.

                " How do you feel… when people hate you so much they'd rather you dead than anything else. When they hate you even when they don't know you, and you can't do anything about it. Everyone hates you Naruto." Sasuke ended wickedly.

                Naruto felt tears roll down his cheeks once more, but he didn't feel them nor did he notice them. All he was aware of was a rising hatred, a hatred for his village, for all the torture they made him endure even since he was born.

                He looked up to see long dark hair and a pale handsome face. 

                " Itachi…"

                All of a sudden, Naruto's breath was stolen away by the man's lips once more. Capturing them and keeping them captive in their own loneliness and darkness… 

…And he didn't even resist. 

                " Naruto!" Sasuke stood only a few feet away from the man he called his brother, and the boy he loved more than anything in the world. He felt a numbing shock inside of him that discontinued all thought from him, only allowing him to stand frozen and stare at the scene in front of him.

                Itachi… on top of Naruto…

                " A-Aniki?" Sasuke stammered out, feeling suddenly empty inside.

                Itachi finally noticed him, and flipped his ponytail over his back, flashing a devious smile at Sasuke, he slowly began to trail his lips down Naruto's neck. Sasuke noticed at the back of his mind that Itachi's fingers were inching closer to the hem of Naruto's shirt, threatening to pull it up and explore the rest of the boy. But Sasuke's mind was taken over by his shock and disbelief… at the fact that NARUTO WAS LETTING THE BASTARD DO THAT TO HIM!!!!!

                "Shit. Shit Shit SHIT!!!" Sasuke repeated in a trance, when he saw Naruto's glazed eyes and knew that Naruto was most likely lost… lost in his own hellish torture Itachi had most likely inflicted onto him.

                Itachi finally decided to pay some attention to his younger brother, and he lifted his head up from Naruto with a smile still on his lips.

                " Little brother, I see you have found me…" Sasuke's fists tightened at the sight of Itachi's long fingers curling around Naruto's neck. "- and this charming young boy here."

                " THE FUCK!!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO HIM!!!!!!!!!!!" Sasuke screamed at him, anger nearly blinding his vision. He could feel the familiar urge to kill in his body, but still couldn't move. " Naruto!! NARUTO YOU LITTLE IDIOT!!!!! DON'T YOU SEE WHAT HE'S DOING TO YOU!!!!!!" Sasuke now yelled at Naruto, trying desperately to bring back 'something' in Naruto.

                Itachi slowly brushed Naruto's hair from his eyes tenderly, " He's not complaining little brother. Perhaps you've just gotten confused…" Itachi chuckled. " By your emotions and all, how can your dear rival trust you now… He's been quite confused by your actions these past few days."

                " Damn, that was you wasn't it?" Sasuke spat at him bitterly, wondering why he had been so stupid for so long. " But what the hell do you want with Naruto, he's nothing to you. He's just some foolish annoying little brat, why don't you just leave him alone!" Sasuke shouted angrily. 

                " Tsk Tsk… Brother, you must know by now that Naruto is in fact the Nine-Tails demon, the most feared monster known by your village-"

                " NO HE ISN'T!!!" Sasuke screamed, hating everything that was happening right now. Why was this happening??? What the fuck was going on, why can't everyone just leave him and Naruto alone. " He isn't your stupid fox demon, JUST LET HIM GO!!!!!!!!" Sasuke cried out desperately, hoping to wake some human side behind his brother… anything… 

" Just let him go… aniki…"

                Itachi seemed genuinely surprised at how Sasuke had regarded him as a brother, but he covered it quickly with a scowl. " You are weak, weakened by your emotions. You can never beat me this way, if you are to have yourself burdened down by your worry for this boy… and your memories of me." Itachi said icily. " Your brother isn't here anymore, your brother was never even there. Everything about him was a lie." Itachi said unfeelingly. 

                " I don't care anymore… I just care about Naruto." Sasuke said quietly, feeling rage pumping through his veins, he felt himself burning up with anger and fighting energy.

                " You are stupid." Itachi stated harshly. " Look at yourself, you are pathetic. You told me before your sole goal is to defeat me, yet you and your care for the fox is stopping you. You have not progressed AT ALL from the child I had left behind."

                " I'M AM NOT A CHILD!!!!!!!!!! AND NARUTO IS NOT THE FOX!! I SWEAR TO GOD I WILLING FUCKING KILL YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Sasuke exploded before he lashed out at Itachi, running towards him with more speed he had ever had before. Yet Itachi pushed him back with only one blow and he slammed back into a nearby tree, pain immobilizing him for a moment.

                 There was a brief silence, and Sasuke struggled not to cry. 

                Itachi turned back to Naruto, looking down onto the pale contented face before he ripped open the boy's shirt and began to kiss his chest.

                " THE HELL!!! DON'T DO THAT!!!!!" Sasuke yelled, before he ran furiously again towards his brother, and was brushed off again with a powerful swing. This time, his head connected with the tree and he was nearly knocked unconscious. But instead, he lost feeling in his body and was unable to move.

                Itachi watched him for a moment with an expressionless face before he began to move his face against Naruto's chest whereas Naruto gave a small groan of complaint. Itachi suddenly began to move his lips towards a small nub at the right side of Naruto's chest, licking it gently and startling a gasp out of Naruto. Sasuke watched this with stunned eyes, why wasn't Naruto doing anything? He realized the painful truth though, that Naruto was in fact fighting out of his daze.

                Suddenly, Itachi started to speak, his lips still against the moist sweat dampened skin of Naruto.

                " Do you know the true intensity of Nine-Tail's power Sasuke?" Itachi asked softly, his voice low. Sasuke didn't answer, or so that he couldn't; so Itachi continued.

                " Nine-Tails was so powerful… that he frightened the four Hokages so much- the four strongest men of the village… that they were reduced to using their most desperate solution- Trapping the demon into a body of a young infant." Sasuke tried hard to get back feeling into his limbs.

                " Yet I desire this power, so that other can fear me just as much as they feared the Nine-Tails demon. This boy here is useless in using the fox's powerful to its full potential, such a waste for a beautiful beast as it…" Itachi said slowly, his gaze back onto Naruto's face, and he stroked he lightly. " But Naruto's rather beautiful himself isn't he??" Itachi gave a wicked smile. " You should know little brother."

                At these words, Naruto began to shake but stopped immediately when Itachi shot him a hard glare. 

                " Yet… No one can appreciate him because poor Naruto has in him the dreaded bad demon… and you can't go near him or you'd probably be mangled by the boy or something." Itachi said in a soft sing-song voice, sounding more like he was telling a bedtime story to a child. Sasuke found strength and mustered it up to speak.

                " That's why you want to make him like this… make him so that you can control him and have him and keep him… but Naruto would never be yours." Sasuke strangled out hoarsely; he could wiggle his fingers and toes now- that's a start.

                Itachi sudden laughed, a sinister sound that chilled both Sasuke and Naruto to their bones. " What boy? So you say that Naruto is your's??" 

                Sasuke gave him a glare of withering scorn, hatred for his brother pulsing inside of him more powerfully than ever.

                " He's is more mine than your's." 

                Itachi was quieted, as though he was suddenly scared by the passion that was in Sasuke's eyes. The raw passion that came from love, the emotion he had never experienced. But instead, he gave the boy underneath him a short kiss before grabbing him roughly by the hair and pulling his head up.

                " You think I need this??" Itachi hissed and Sasuke strove to save the helpless boy. " Not at all, he's just about as pathetic as you. All I need is the fox, and I'll be powerful enough to destroy you both, and the rest of that damned village." Itachi let go of Naruto's hair, letting the head bump heavily against the ground.

                " And you know what… I don't even need the Akatsuki anymore. I'll have Nine-Tails all to myself… and… do you know how I'll achieve all this?" Itachi ended softly with wicked glee. Itachi stared hungrily at Naruto pointedly.

                ' No… no you can't… no…" Sasuke whispered, suddenly realizing the consequence of the situation. " Don't fucking do this Itachi…" 

                Suddenly, Itachi ripped what remained of Naruto's clothes to shreds and pale smooth flesh was exposed. Sasuke shut his eyes tightly, feeling completely and utterly helpless in the situation.

                " ITACHI!!!!!!" Sasuke screamed again, this time with tears rolling down his face. " Don't do this to him!!!!!!!!!!"

                " It's not about what I'm doing to him, It's about what I'm doing to you." Itachi whispered quietly, before he viciously slammed into Naruto and a scream so terribly heart-breaking, with something within it that was beyond pain, or suffering or hurt or anything else that it was inhuman rung through the air. 

                It was the sound of innocence lost.

                A hope that was brutally destroyed.

                Each thrust was like a stab to Sasuke's heart, and he suddenly realized that his love connected him to Naruto. So much that he could feel that despair and pain Naruto was going through. And that suffocating feeling in his chest that made him wonder whether he was breathing at all overwhelmed him… made him wonder where someone was really stabbing his chest and if he was dead.

                Dead and gone to hell.

                Sasuke couldn't see, blinded from his pain and tears but he knew Naruto was crying as well, and that hurt more than ever. Innocent tears dropped from innocent eyes. Despite the fact that the Nine-Tails demon was in Naruto, his purity was never tainted.

                But now…

                When Itachi was finished, there was a glow around Naruto's body. A bright hazy glow that shone angrily off Naruto; a feverish yellow-orange. It was bright and hot and there was a strong aroma of something like sulphur that filled the air, something burning and crackling.

                Sasuke had pressed his hands against his eyes in an attempt to blind himself, but it was futile. Because he couldn't help but look, look at the boy he had failed in helping… and he felt like killing himself for that. But when he felt the power the literally crawled beneath his skin radiating through Naruto's body, so much that the aura itself formed a bright fiery shape of a fox. It was familiar, he had felt it through Naruto many times before, but never nearly so powerful and impressive that it overshadowed Naruto's own weakened chakra.

                " The nine-tails demon." Sasuke murmured softly in awe. But he turned his head quickly to see his brother with his arms flung out and a determined expression on his handsome face.

                " NINE-TAILS!!!!!!! COME TO ME!!!!!"

TBC…

God *shakes head*

I'm evil, and don't any of you *shakes finger threateningly* run over here to tell me I'm horrible for writing this part, because I have a reason for how my plot goes.

I was sad tho… when I wrote this because believe it or not^^;; I have a heart, but this would come to an end so may I remind you guys that PLEASE!!!

DON"T COMPLAIN UNTIL THE END!! Because *gasp* there may be things happening that you did not in fact expect. Erm yah, so not flamey reviews please, if you want to see an ending to this^^;;

And the ending I'm sure would have you all pretty much surprised… and another emotion I will not speak of yet.

The rape scene I admit was pathetic… and I'll have ppl going blah blah blah… if u can't write one than DON"T^^;; But trust me, this is crucial to the story! So I'm sure I've shocked some of you… and some of u not but *shrug*

You understood a lot more about what I wrote before after reading this right???? Well you should^^

I only have 2 more chapters before the story ends anyways… and a epilogue… JUST so that the story won't end on chapter 13… lol! EVIL number^^;;

O yes, Review, it'll help me write the next chapter ___ Which is going to be TREMENDOUSLY hard for me to write… arg, I can't deal well with plots.

C-chan

*bye*


	12. K

***********************

Damn -_______-  
This chapter took me a looooong time… mostly because I wrote a page… then got lazy for a few days… wrote another^^;; then my muse ran away and I couldn't write for about a month and yea…. It sucked^^  
  
But it came out so YAY!!!!! I can safely say this fic will be finished by the end of July^^;;  
I'm a little depressed tho *sigh* Because I REALLY wanted to attend the anime convention this summer… it's on august 23-25 I think^^;; But it turns out I'm leaving for a trip on the 22nd @____@  
NOOOOOOOOO~ Nyah… I went to Anime North a few months ago and bought lotsa manga *grin*(the Japanese ones were very limited tho!! 0_0 Only ONE stand 4 those) So I guess it's ok… I'll just go back to ordering over the internet T.T  
EVIIIL SHIPPING FEE!!!!!!!!!  
Now enuf about my life^___^;;  
  
About this chapter… even if it might get a little boring nee~… PLEASE continue on^^;;  
Yea~ That's all… O yah^___^ I felt sorry 4 Nine-Tails in this one and I'm trusting u guys 2 feel the same… right? RITE????  
ALSO…. Umm… don't throw things at me in the end *smile*  
  
Nyah!! YAY 2 my amazing beta KOGANEI-CHAN *glomps her* Cuz my stories would suck without her!!! Now she has a job and everything and always buying more and more anime^^ LUCKY! But she's always busy 2 because of that eviil job   
-__-  
YAY 2 Seiya 4 supporting me 4 a looong time^__^ She helped me thru my "can't-write" days^^; ~hehe~  
YAY 2 SW because she's nice and kool and wooooah… she drew me a VERY pretty picture 4 "Like an Angel" Check it out naaa~ It's in my favourites section of my deviantart site ----- *tackles her* ARIGATOU SW-chan^___^  
YAY 2 Fumi-chan^___^ Who is SOOO KOOL naaa~ 2 KOOL 4 SKOOL!!!  
And lastly, YAY 2 Kaminiko!! JUST because her art is sooo pretty neee~ *grin* She also stands for much inspiration through my harsh times when I was suffering through that dreadful plague we call "Writer's Block."  
  
***  
  
  
  
                 It was a rush of emotion, so startlingly intense Sasuke could scarcely breathe, he could barely take in everything that was happening around him, much less understand it. All he could feel was a rising anger and hatred, more so that he had ever felt, or claimed to feel. He could feel his strength burning inside of him, powered by the seed of immense hate, waiting to be released.

  
  
                But was it true?  
  
  


                Was it true that true power… came from the utmost hate?  
  


  
                In almost a red haze of furious anger, he could see Itachi in front of him, standing there with his arms flung open, preparing to steal what was Naruto's. And even though his hatred was centred upon Itachi and what he had done, he knew he hated the fox as well. There was a shred of guilt inside of him for even thinking about that….  
  


  
                …About how he wanted Itachi to take the fox away. Just so that he could be stronger than Naruto.  
  


  
                The rush of fire and the immense heat, so hot and bright that it burned his eyes and made his clothes rumple in the heat, engulfed him. It was an overwhelming state of power, a power that was so great it took over everything else and was there only for the purpose of existing. And in the power, he could nearly taste the hatred that pulsed in the fox demon, dark and bitter yet strong and lasting.  
  


  
                 It was all coming from Naruto, who was lying on the ground only a few feet away from him. Lying there broken and battered, yet glowing with an impossible innocence and vibrancy that made Sasuke disgusted with himself. The power was radiating from him, a bright orange-red haze that threatened to destroy all of them,  bright streams of fire swirled out from Naruto's navel to shape  the form of the fox.  
  


  
                Itachi was smiling maliciously in triumph, his eyes widened in obvious glee at obtaining his goal and Sasuke held back his hate… and his desire to rip his brother into pieces.  
  


  
                Suddenly, all that was swept away when his gaze flickered back to Naruto, who had just opened his eyes. But what Sasuke saw next was what hurt him most, nearly killing him with the pain that came from the sight.  
  


  
                Naruto's eyes were no longer the bright cheery blue Sasuke looked forward to seeing day after day, but were replaced by an evil and hatred that dulled his eyes to a relentless fiery red.  
  


  
                " NARUTO!" Sasuke finally opened his mouth to scream at him, but his body was weakened once more and he couldn't move… hopelessness had taken over and stolen the strength from him. Yet Naruto didn't hear, or did not care to listen, in fact, he didn't even acknowledge him at all.  
  


  
                Sasuke drew back pitifully and he continued to watch, because that was all he could do.  
  


  
                He was weak.  
  


  
                Weak.  
  


  
                He couldn't save Naruto  
  
  


  
                Itachi smiled, instantly welcoming and relishing in the full power that had washed over him immediately in the mere presence of the fox demon. The fire had begun to unravel itself, and the fox looked at him carefully with such a   
piercing intense gaze it ignited a spark of fear even in Itachi.  
  


  
                " Who are you…" The fox questioned quietly, though by no means it was gentle, but rather harsh and forbidding. Itachi caught his breath in spite of himself. There was such immense hatred in that voice pulsing angrily that even he himself could not comprehend it.  
  


  
                He pulled himself together though and he stared back just defiantly, hoping to maintain the sense of coolness and try to hold his calm.  
  


" The one who freed you from the child, as well as the one who will gain control of you," Itachi said simply, finding that going direct was the easiest way to deal with the demon.  
  


  
                If the demon was the slightest bit surprised, he did not show it. He did though, throw a glance down at Naruto as though noticing him for the first time. There was an indescribable look in his flaming ruby eyes that almost made his eyes softer, though there was nothing remotely kind in them.  
  


  
                His eyes hardened though when he looked back to Itachi, glinting maliciously with a sort of hunger Itachi did not care to look into. His jaws drew back to show rows of long teeth quivering threateningly, and it was only after a moment of puzzlement when Itachi realized the fox was smiling at him.  
  


  
                It wasn't a smile that many lived to see though, or lived to tell of at all.  
  


  
                " What makes you think that you would ever withhold the power to take control over me." The fox breathed out coldly, he was still smiling as though he was finding everything amusing at the moment.  
  


  
                " It's all about power, and it's about the power that I want. The power that I need." Itachi replied softly.  
  


  
                The fox only shook his magnificent head, flames sparkling out as he did and did not say a thing. Itachi suddenly took a step forward, mistaking the demon's lack of reply as a submission to him. There was a tremendous roar.  
  


  
                Itachi was flung back all of a sudden by an impossible strength that nearly shattered his insides, pain shot up like white hot fingers, shooting out to his overly sensitized nerves from the heat and he landed with a deafening crash onto the ground.  
  


  
                There was a haze of smoke, and the fox looked away as though pleased yet nonchalant at what he had done. Instead, he redirected his gaze upon the small blond-haired boy underneath him and scrutinized him a little.  
  


  
                " Tell me, what did you do to him?" The fox asked coldly and unexpectedly, there was a harshness in his voice under toned with a dark hatred. He knew that Itachi was still alive; he had not intended to destroy the man… yet.  
  


  
                There was a brief silence, and a barely audible moan was heard as the smoke cleared away and Itachi stood on his feet, one arm against his mouth as he bitterly spat out the blood. It was a frightening image though, because even with his lips painted a dark red from his blood, the corners of his lips were still turned up in a triumphant sneer.  
  


  
                Sasuke knew then, that this was barely the beginning.  
  


  
                Itachi swiftly pulled his arms back, using his sleeve to wipe the remaining blood off as he did and pulled off the cloth that had bound his hair together. Long strands of raven dark hair was released and pooled around his sharply defined face, so much that he almost looked feminine, yet it was intimidating at the same time.  
  


  
                The fox peered at him, and there was a hush of the forest, even the distinctive crackling of the heat that surrounded the demon had quieted itself.  
  


  
                " I have put years and years of study into you, along with my training." Itachi said quietly, he locked gazes with the demon and their eyes were almost similar, Sasuke realized. Dark with hatred and malice, yet with a dark red that readily exposed the bloodlust that cradled both lives. " I know of how high a degree of power you can ignite when needed, and I know of your history and past… I know everything about you, more than you may even know of yourself."  
  


  
                The fox didn't move at these words, nor did he show any sign that he cared.  
  


  
                " And then I joined something called the Akatsuki… and…." Itachi's eyes glinted somewhat triumphantly when he saw the fox stiffen, as  he knew he would.  
  


  
                " You remember the Akatsuki do you not? Are they not the ones who knew of your weakness…?  They knew that even the most highly feared demon itself might have the power to care and lo-."  
  


  
                " Shut up." The fox breathed quietly, and even though he said this softly, it was the most chilling voice Sasuke had ever heard in his entire life. So terrifying that it sucked out all the happiness inside of him and left him with the most terrible feeling… the feeling of isolation and loneliness, of the most horrible loneliess. He suddenly felt the pain that had been there since he had first met Naruto, he knew why he was connected to the boy so much, because both of them carried the burden that set so much anger in their lives.  
  


  
                The pain came from the Nine-Tails demon, and it was intensified at Itachi's words so much that Sasuke could barely stand it.  
  


  
                The sneer on Itachi's face widened, and he continued. " That you might have the power to care and love… and they stole everything in your life didn't they, everything that you once thought meant everything to you…"  
  


  
                " Shut the hell up…" The fox repeated again, and there was a tightening in his voice, as though he was desperately trying to hold something back.  
  


  
                "… When finally, you thought you had reached the ultimate power, the power that had come from your hatred of everything around you. Something happened, and you found the ability to feel didn't you, demon. You found the ability to care for someone." Itachi paused bitterly, as though he was saying something that really disgusted him. " But that weakened you again, and the Akatsuki knew that… but they needed your power, that tremendous power you hold."  
  


  
                The fox was trembling by now, and the flames licking out from it seemed to shrink down on itself. But then, Sasuke realized that he looked just as breathtaking and impressive as ever.  
  


  
                There was a vile chuckle from Itachi, and he took a light breath as he said.  
  


  
                " I heard they destroyed who you cared most about,  Nine-Tails… I heard, they killed your son."  
  


  
                There was a pain-filled roar that rumbled out from the demon's mouth, deafening and dreadful and for a second, the world seemed to join in with its pain. All of a sudden, there was a great power that built up upon itself, centered solely on the demon itself, and it was beyond astounding because the power was so vast that the earth had turned silence into awe.  
  


  
                The heat had grown unbearable, and the fire had moved to a bright fiery red, an angry scarlet that threatened to burn up anything it happened to come in contact with.  
  


  
                " Shut up!! Shut up! SHUT UP!!" Nine-Tails bellowed with an ear-shattering voice, but Itachi stood there calmly, an easy smile still on his face. In his eyes flared excitement though, excitement for the power he had longed for so long.  
  


  
                " You hate me, Nine-Tails." Itachi stated quietly, unperturbed by the Nine-Tail's reaction. Because he was empty, Sasuke knew, he had not an ounce of feeling inside of him. Sasuke wondered to himself painfully why it took him so long to realize this.  
  


  
                The demon roared angrily again at his words, the flames getting hotter and hotter by the second, a good comparison to hell's own bout of red. " You hate me so much. I can feel the energy burning off you." Itachi took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he did, looking as though he was savoring something precious. When he opened his eyes, there was a satisfied smirk on his face. " I can feel it and I can taste it, that delicious power. I want all of it."  
  


  
                " WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?" Nine-Tails breathed angrily, still struggling to control his anger. Itachi's hair fluttered backwards in the warm crackling air.  
  


  
                " I just told you, I want all that power. I am showing you now, just how much power you can release. Don't you understand, that if I can have you, I can bring your potential to the brink of its limit." Itachi answered evenly. " I know what happened before… when something like this had happened. When Akatsuki destroyed your most dear one, what had happened?"  
  


  
                The Nine-Tails demon did not answer, though he glared hatefully at Itachi. When Itachi got no reply, he only shrugged calmly. " If you can't answer, I will for you." His white teeth reflected the flames as he spoke. " You became powerful, just as you are now. Energy kept on building up, reaching a level it never reached before. You used that power to kill more than half the Akatsuki, which is combined of only the strongest fighters in this world. That power all came from that burning hatred, buried inside of you, it had dissolved little by little by your feelings," Itachi spat out this word as though it was dirty, " But it was always there, never dying out. Finally, when Akatsuki killed your son, it was ignited and was intensified so much that it had dissolved into your power and raised that as well."  
  


  
                Nine-Tails shook his head, sparks jumping off the flames that protruded from his body.  
  


  
                " You realize now… that power, true power comes only from how much you hate. And even now, your hate for me is more than ever, but I don't even care. Because I want that." Itachi ended lightly, his gaze not wavering for a moment from the frightening demon in front of him. " I have found… that the demon can only reside in the most innocent child. This is my plan to consume you Nine-Tails, and now that you have been released, I have all the power to capture you and use your power myself."  
  


  
                Nine-Tails remained silent as he listened to these words, when suddenly, he chuckled darkly at Itachi. " What makes you believe that you could possibly control me? What makes you think, that you have enough power to have me submit to the likes of someone like you?" The demon asked coldly, ruby eyes eyeing Itachi closely.  
  


  
                The smile was not yet wiped off Itachi's face, because he knew he had the upper hand, that he had won. He nswered slowly, relishing every single word.  
  


  
                " Because I happen to know… that once I destroy the body you reside in now, I destroy you as well; Nine-Tails fox demon."  
  


  
                There was a stunned silence, and the demon roared furiously, tails lashing out in immense anger as he bared his teeth at Itachi. " Then I will destroy you, before you can destroy me." The fox seethed, smoke building up around him as he gathered up power.  
  


  
                Before anyone saw it, the fox suddenly whipped out one of his enormous tails and crashed it down harshly onto where Itachi had stood. The force of the blow caused miles of trees behind to explode in the strength.  
  


  
                " ANIKI!" Sasuke suddenly yelled before he could stop himself.  
  


  
                " You are foolish… to believe that you even had the right to merely think that you could control m-." Nine-Tails breathed angrily, his red eyes glinting horridly as they waited for the smoke to clear. But the words were soon interrupted by a furious roar as the fox whirled around in anger.  
  


  
                Sasuke was speechless, when he found Itachi holding Naruto against him, one arm wrapped around the pale neck and the other supporting the thin body. Naruto's head rolled back laxly, falling against Itachi's shoulders as the man suddenly pulled out a kunai from his sleeve and pointed it towards the boy's neck.  
  


  
                " You lose Nine-Tails. You lose. You'll realize that from the moment when the boy dies and you are released from his body. I will be able to capture you, and you won't be able to do anything about it, because you would be given the choice between residing in me or dying." Itachi said slowly, and Nine-Tails exhaled loudly, flames flickering in his breath.

  
                " ANIKI! DON'T!" Sasuke suddenly screamed out painfully at the sight of his brother holding the one he cared for most. " DON'T DO THIS!"  
  


  
                Itachi regarded him curiously, as though he had just noticed him for the first time ever since Nine-Tails had made his appearance. With a smile that held no compassion and love for anyone, even his brother, he slowly and carefully swiped it against Naruto's neck, skimming the surface.  
  


                Sasuke watched in horror as a small line of red suddenly appeared at the center of Naruto's neck, gathering up at a corner before a drop of blond dripped down to roll down the smooth pale neck. Itachi lifted the knife to his lips, his tongue darting out to take a dab at the small stream of blood.

  
                " Do you think… that you hold enough hatred for me now brother, to take this boy from me??" Itachi asked darkly, his grin washed of his face in a second. " What has your love done for you, other than make you weak and useless?"  
  


  
                " No…" Sasuke cried weakly. " No no no no…"  
  


  
                Itachi turned his attention back to the fox demon. " And you, I will ask you again. Are you willing to submit to me willingly, whereas no one would get hurt? Or would you rather I get what I want the difficult way?" He asked coldly, and then looked down at Naruto pointedly.  
  


  
                The fox replied immediately. " NEVER!!" He roared furiously, his tails lashing up again threateningly, and the trees surrounding him swayed in the power that ignited from the demon.  
  


  
                " NO DON'T!" Sasuke yelled at him angrily. " He would really do it! Don't let him kill Naruto!!"  
  


  
                The fox showed no sign of even hearing him, and kept his eyes on Itachi instead with flaming red eyes. Itachi only shook his head, chuckling softly and he glared back at the demon.  
  


  
                " I will give you one last chance, WILL YOU SUBMIT!" Itachi hollered back, expression set firm and eyes rlentless. Sasuke watched with dazed eyes, as Itachi's hand, the one that held the kunai lowered slowly down to Naruto's chest, where his heart was.  
  


  
                " No… don't… don't…" Sasuke repeated to himself, unable to believe anything that was happening at the moment.  
  


  
                This time, the fox took a moment before he answered a firm reply.  
  


  
                " I told you, I will never submit to you." Nine-Tails replied stubbornly and defiantly. A look of surprise swept over Itachi's face for a second, but it was disappeared as quickly as it had come. Instead, he smiled cockily as he regarded the demon carefully.  
  


  
                " I never go back on my word." Itachi answered quietly, before he lifted his arm, and plunged it down to bury it directly into Naruto's chest, into his heart.  
  


  
                Yet Sasuke didn't hear these words, because there a mess of confusion as something rushed over Sasuke, something that was different from anything he had felt before. There was hatred in it, such a great hatred Sasuke could hardly take it, but there was something new-  
  


  
                It was an overwhelming love for the boy in the man's arms, and the need and urge to protect him, even with the cost of his own life. Sasuke realized that he has felt this many times before, when Naruto was caught in such life-threatening situations, but not so much as now. For the need was so immense it was the only thought running through his head…  
  


  
                To protect his most important person.  
  


  
                Protect the most special one.  
  


  
                Protect… Naruto.  
  


  
                As this thought ran through his head, the words seemed to explode in his mind, and it was the single most important thing to him. These words repeated themselves in a continuous mantra, each word loud and clear and ordering to do what he needs to do- wants to do.  
  


  
                It was also accompanied by something that Sasuke has never felt in himself before, something powerful so new that he couldn't even recognize it at first. He realized all of a sudden, that it was power, an increasingly great power that he never knew he could ever withhold.  
  


  
                " NARUTO!!" The name was ripped from his throat as all his thoughts and actions were concentrated on one goal, and the power gave him the strength to get up and get to Itachi and Naruto with an unmatched speed.  
  


  
                All of a sudden, Naruto was in his arms and that was all that mattered. The warm body that he held possessively, and he didn't even know how he was able to get him away from Itachi. All that Sasuke was conscious off was the warmth that washed over him when he knew that Naruto was with him, and he would do anything- ANYTHING to keep it that way.

  
  
                " NOOO!" An angry voice hollered, and Sasuke recognized it as Itachi's. Overcome with everything currently happening along with his oversensitized senses, he could feel the dirt ground beneath his shaking with an immense power that he knew was Nine-Tails. Suddenly, there was an ear-ringing blast that pounded in Sasuke's head, nearly knocked him unconscious. But Sasuke didn't let himself, because he had to keep Naruto safe.  
  
  
  
  
  
///Before he knew it, everything had gone silent again except the forest's   
gentle hush of the trees, as the wind blew through them and gave them the   
power to whisper softly, whisper softly of the love between the two boys the   
leaves of the trees embraced and hid away from the rest of the world.   
Because their love was so innocent and so pure, and so unconditional that   
even the trees murmured about them.  
  


  
Sasuke cradled Naruto's head against his right shoulder, and gave a tired   
but contented sigh. He leaned back gently so that his back was on the ground   
and Naruto was on top of him. Like he was holding the most precious thing in   
the world, he wrapped his arms around Naruto's waist and chuckled happily   
against the other boy's ear, so closely that silky blonds strands of hair   
tickled against his nose.  
  


  
They laid together on the ground, in the midst of all the trees of the   
forest. For a moment, everything was serene and it was as still as the water   
under one of the great trees, whose surface was so still that it lay flat   
like a mirror. Naruto stirred all of a sudden, his cheeks were rosy and the   
three lines that graced each side of his face were as defined as it ever   
was.  
  


  
" Sasuke?" Naruto asked groggily, his eyes opening sleepily to peer   
hesitantly at the boy underneath him. He lifted his head up to get a clearer   
view of the raven-haired boy and flashed a small but exhausted smile. Sasuke   
looked at him silently for a long while, dark eyes watching the small   
flushed face, and those bright blue eyes that stared back at him.  
  


  
He then smiled as well, enough to match the grin on Naruto's face and it was   
as though nothing had happened at all, everything was just as it should have   
been. The smile fit pleasantly on him like it was meant to be there and he   
knew that he looked as Naruto does when he smiled as well, vibrant,   
brilliant and beautiful. He lifted one of the hands that had been sitting on   
Naruto's waist to rub it gently against the other's boy face.  
  


  
Naruto closed his eyes at the caress, a happy drunken smile still on his   
face.  
  


  
" Remember… the night when the full moon was up and the breeze was cool and   
gentle, and you ventured into my room?" Sasuke whispered, his voice as soft   
as a butterfly's kiss. Naruto didn't answer, so he continued.  
  


  
" You stood beside me as I slept, and I remember peeking out when you   
weren't looking and you looked amazing. You looked like an Angel."  
  


  
" Like an Angel…" Naruto repeated after him, eyes still closed and light   
eyelashes fluttering slightly as he chuckled.  
  


  
" You looked like an Angel, and you were so distressed because you were   
worried that no one would like you… but…" Sasuke paused, as his cheeks   
flushed pink all of a sudden and he felt a shyness overwhelming him.  
  


  
" But?" Naruto asked gently, his laugh like the most beautiful of bells,   
twinkling in the wind…///  
  
  
  


  
                " NOOOO!" Sasuke suddenly yelled, when he caught sight of his brother mangled up and bloodied as he tightly held Naruto close to himself, pressing the other boy's limp body as closely to his chest as he could.  
  


  
                Nine-Tails swirled around in a hazy red, and the colour intensified even more as the fire and heat built up to form an aura around him. But he was against a tree, and his large chest was heaving as though it was difficult even to breathe.  
  


  
                " You Lose Nine-Tails! You LOSE!" Itachi laughed, before he focused his blood red eyes onto Sasuke and smiled. " Before I take you demon, I would like to say my final good bye to my dear brother first." Itachi said lowly, before he stared directly at Sasuke.  
  


  
                " Sasuke, younger brother, I hope you realize now, that your love can do nothing except weaken you. Naruto is dead…"

                " He is not…" Sasuke said quietly, glaring up hatefully at his brother. Naruto wasn't, he held the boy's wrist tightly in the palm of his hand and felt relief to find the pulse still there, but weak.

                Itachi was surprised momentarily. " How?" He let it softly, with wide eyes. He shook it off quickly though, and gave a superior smile. " Then I will kill him again,  and Nine-Tails is mine. What had 'feelings' ever done for you. But it's too late now isn't it?" As he spoke, Itachi began to make swiping motions with his hands and Sasuke realized that his brother was going to kill him as well. But before he did….  
  


  
                " It's not true… Hate can perhaps intensify your strength… but it is not true power…" Sasuke said quietly, clutching Naruto tightly. " True power is something Naruto realized much before us. He was able to realize that true power came from your care, your feelings and your love for the special people that are so important to you. True power helps you realize that your love for the special people is so great, that you are even willing to risk your own life for them. True power is when you want nothing else, than to protect your most special, most important, most precious person. Because that is all that matters… to protect…" Itachi did not pause in his attack, appearing to not care of what Sasuke was saying.  
  


  
                " But your power… the one that originates from hatred and greed is nothing, because it is not true, it is not real, it is only a manifestation of the evil and loneliness that resides in you." Sasuke continued, now closing his eyes as he spoke. He could feel something wet on his cheeks, and he realized all of a sudden, that he was weeping.  
  


  
                " Tell me aniki… Do you have anyone you want to protect… Are you lonely?" Sasuke asked softly, and suddenly, he found shock that he didn't even hate his brother at all. All he could feel was pity for him, pity that Itachi was never given the chance to truly love someone, to care about someone, so much that they would give up their lives for them. Because if you go through life not experiencing that, then life wasn't worth living at all.  
  


  
                He opened his eyes to see Itachi's cold empty eyes widen just a little when he said he last sentence, the last sentence he could ever speak. It warmed him, to see that there was a spark of something in his brother's eyes, something that wasn't carefully hidden and concealed.  
  


  
                It was regret.  
  


  
                " NO!" The scream was torn out of Itachi's throat as the blast coiled out from the palms of his out-stretched hands, just before he could close it and stop the attack. And as the white hot beam of power came towards him, Sasuke smiled… because Itachi had wanted to save him, even though he couldn't… and the realization that his older brother cared for him even a little was enough to make him forget everything he had done in the past.  
  


                He never did, tell Naruto his feelings in the end.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
  
ok^^;; There, just to confirm that, in case some of you are thinking to yourselves in disbelief… OMG… did it happen? What the HELL happened??? UH HUH…. YEA!!!! Everything you think happened has happened…

  
I feel like crying… T.T  
There's only 1 chapter left… you have no clue what will happen do you?? Well *raises arm*  I DO I DO!!!! And I promise the last chapter will be out before August^^

O yeah^^;; Since lotsa ppl have been doing it, I've decided 2 give it a try. I'm going to answer all the reviews… AHAHA~ *laughs nervously*

Spoon no Miko: AHAAA^___^ THANKS *glomps u* U've been waiting 4 updates nee?? Well, I promise the next one will come SOON- DEFINITLY!!!  
Tenku-no-Sora: WAIWAI~ U have Itachi hat nee??? I want one too *grin* Nayh^__^ And don't hurt Sasuke and Naruto 2 much nee

Moi: Yea… it really built up^^;; But I don't think a lot of ppl expected this… though the smart select few did!!! *huggles u* Thanks 4 reading^^

RcA: Surge of emotion 0______0 LOL!! I felt sorry 4 Naruto in the chappie tho.. cuz he's my favourite character…. *sigh* Arigatou 4 compliment tho! *laughs* I get all happy when ppl compliment on my writing!!!

Firedraygon97: I really can't deal well with plots nee~ Because you have to put so much effort into them to make it all click together *is REALLY exhausted* But what I meant was that it puts a lot of pressure on me…. GRRR!! EVIL PRESSURE ^___^;; But poor Sasuke ne?

SW: YAY!! UR SO KOOL! THE BEST!!! Naruto didn't go krazy… but Itachi has a heart… YES! He does *grin* NYAH!!! *GLOMP*

Lavender Sparkle: THANKS 4 loving so much about my story nee~ Yes, I wanted to include all of that in 2 my story because I found a lot of insight in that when I read the manga^^;; Ano~ Me happy neee~ *laughs at when u said 'great rape scene'*

KAWAIIROXY: Tish true, u R kawai neee~ But u dun have to be a sicko 2 read the chappie.., tho I admit I am kinda sick-minded myself… ahaaaa….^^

Xxkurenaixx: YEP!! It's out!!! LOL!! I can't believe I did that 2!!

Kinu-uni: YAY kinu^__^ u r so faithful in reviewing naaa~ And I'm STILL waiting for more chappies to beta from u *grin* Anyways, I won't say much… DUN wanna spoil it 4 ya!! *wink* I WUV U!!!!

Kissenliebe: Yea!! I realized I used lotsa exclamation marks, that's why I took the advice from u and a couple other and limited myself to only one in each sentence in this chappie! *laughs*

Ladyschumon: AHHHAAA!~ U r KOOL!!! *eats cookies u gave me…. AND muffins* MMmmm… FOOD!! *glomps u* I luv ANYONE who gives me food *Big SMILE*

Renn: Yesh^^ Cliffies suck, but I luv giving them!! THANKS 4 reviewing!!!!!

Saiyan Moon Goddess: Yea~ I didn't want 2 be banned -___- A lot of my friends were and a lot of my fav storie were… *sniff* But ur rite, I didn't want to take so much time in describing the rape scene, it would ruin the exactly WHY he did it in the first place.

Miki: UH HUH!! My PRIDE is cliffies!! *cracks up*

Muru: I LUV u guys too!!!! *hands u all chocolate*

Sakata Ri Houjun: U DID 0_______0 KOOL!!! I wanna see doujinshi!! HAHA!!! Ano~ Naruto didn't do much because… he was in 2 much shock?? *trying to find excuse*

Annachan: Yes *sniff* Twas WAS awful chappie… and it will even get awfuller!! But thanks for wonderful review, u ALWAYS give wonderful reviews!!!!!! *hugs u*

Kaminiko: Ahaaa~ Poor Naruto… Nayh *hides face* U put pressure on me neee~ Now I want to make an EXTRA GOOD ENDING 4 u naaa! *glomps u* U R MY IDOL *starry eyes*

Silver: Hehe~ I get lotsa ppl bugging me… but I lurve u anyways!!

Isil: KakaIru is ALWAYS on top of the list… they will NEVER be… uh… not together^^;; Thanks 4 liking my story.

Somilia et jenfia: NYAH!! Ur englsih is VERY GOOD and I LUV U TOOO!!! Thanks 4 the compliment nee~ It makes me very HAPPY!!! *runs around laughing in circles*

Sushi: Yea^^;; Poor Naruto neee?? LOL!! But I luv him sooo~ *huggles him*

Daughter of Hokage: MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! *grin* I luv 2 laugh crazily 2 naa! Nyah! Powers r KOOL *starts shooting wild flowery stuff at ppl around me*

Pocky: May I mention how much I luv ur name!! Me LUVS pocky!! *laughs and hands u chocolate*

Bronze Evil: AAAH!! Blue-chan and Neko-chan??? 0_____0 *starts looking around suspiciously* Yea… tish sad 4 Naruto ne?? *hopes no one figures out how I'm avoiding topid^^;;*

Amakasu toko: Toko-chan!!!!! YAAAAAAAAY! *glomps u* I LUV UR STORY NAAA~ But It's taking as long as ME 2 update *wild eyes* THAT"S REALLY BAD!!! *shakes finger at u* GO ON!! UPDATE UPDATE!!!! And I WUV U!!! ^___^ I'm HAPPY u luv my story!! VERY!!!!!!!!!!

MiakaKiller: Ahaaa~ *laughs nervously with shifty eyes* of course I don't loathe u…. and I was just pissed of with something else that day, and I kinda vented out my anger on u^^;; *bows* GOMEN NASAAIIII~ *cries* I DIDN"T MEAN IIIIT!!!!!!!! LOL!! U wanna draw rape scene tho naa~ *sparkly eyes* That would be SHO KOOL!!!!!!! DRAW DRAW *smile*

Kawai-chan: Yea^_____^ Poor Naruto-chan and EVIL Itachi *kicks him* But he has heart *huggles stunned Itachi* so me luv him anyways!!!!!

Ko-chan: YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!! U ish the BEST!!! The BOMB!!!!!!!!!!! So kind and kawai and cute and nice and KOOL~ ^____^ Nayh… Rape sucks neee…. But there r MUCH worse things^^;; Such things I dun want 2 mention… *sigh* But Naruto is victim…. So is Sasuke-chan and EVERYONE in my stories *feels sorry for them* But my pity won't stop my writing!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA! *runs away*

Neko Senshi Erin: WAI!! My story is original na? I'm happy 2 know that, but there r MANY original stories out there… and me luv them ALL!! And U 2!!!!!!!!!!! 

Serena: One of best @_____@ I dun really think so but I put lotsa work into this ficcie, tho many would prolly hate me 4 it^^;; But THANKS 4 thinking that!!!! *hands u cookie* U r SHO KIND^^

Mikie: Nyah Mikie -_________- Ur SOOOOO ANNOYING *turns away* but I luv u anyways!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LUV LUV LUV!!!! And dun be protective…. ^^ I will ALWAYS ALWAYS LUV U *tackleglomps u* I got u hooked on Naruto?? ^______^ YAY!! Now we can obsess 2gether on it… not that we don't already^^;;

Buckets o water: HEHE!! Ur name is SOO KOOL NAAA! *pulls Sasuke and Naruto back* Dun worry, I"LL protect u from that!!! MWAHAHAHAHA~

Dashin_diva: Well I'm glad u reviewed now! *jumps on 2 u* Sasuke saved him nee~ Ur happy??? *wobbly eyes*

Dia: Itachi is eviiil!! VERY EVIL -______- But I will luv him faithfully always…. That's why he will always have a little heart *grin*

Hirame: AHAAA!! Saucy fox *tackles nine-tails* He's SOOO KOOOL!!!!

Pony-Taled Baka: It IS incomplete na?? But it will be complete VERY sooon!!!! As in VERY VERY SOON^__________^ As in…. next chappie!! *cracks up* *glomps U*

Leaf Zelinder: It's out IT'S OUT!!!!!!!!!! @_______@ R u watching????? Hah!! Prolly naaa~ *grins*

Zax: *glomps u* YAY!! Constructive criticism!! I WUV U!!!!!!!!!!!! U didn't insult me *grin* COURSE NOT!!! The charas I realize r a little OOC…. But I do my best *shrug* Anyways, thanks VERY MUCH 4 offering!!!! I appreciate it lots, but I have beta already and I promise 2 look up on what u said and IMPROVE!!!

Shini: YES YES!!! Cliffie! *runs away laughing* Long stories 2 say the truth I dun read much…. Cuz I think they take 2 looooooooong…. But the r so FUN 2 write ne!!!

Reignbow: *hand getting tired from typing this up* Araaa~ Itachi is kinda twisted, demented, crazy, evil 2 the core and heartless…. But I LUV HIM!!!! U can't really figure things our with these kinda ppl can u??????? *throws u some cookies* Silly Itachi tho…. Control nine-tails^^;;; *laughs*

Free4ever: there r actually a lot of Itachi/Naruto fic now… some VERY GOOD ones if I do say so myself!! I'm sorru about Naruto tho^^;; Like I said, it was crucial 2 the plot…. But it broke my heart when I wrote it out T.T

The Mad Orange: Hmmm…. I wonder where I get my inspriration from… 2 say the truth, not 2 sound borny or anything but from dreams… and usually, things come to mind and I have a handy notebook to scribble down things *grin* Ieee~ I thought up of a lot of the plot before I started writing this and even tho I wanted 2 lotsa times, I forced myself not to sidetrack^^ But imagination RULES!!! And u do 2!!!!!!!!!

Rei: WOOOOOOOOOOOW!! Long review 0________0 Long reviews RULE and I luv u for it!!!!!!!!! *laughs* Thanks 4 all the comments… and I agree, small things yet to me too, some of us r just like that ne!! But it's a GOOD THING!!!! The plot at the beginning was kinda stupid, more so to build up to the climax…. But it was fun to write up how Sasuke and naruto's relationship slowly and gradually changes^^ And as 4 the rape scene, u got EXACTLY what I meant *high five*

Beverly: *twitch*Plot PLOT PLOT!!!!!!!!1 *twitch* Ahaa~ Yay 4 plots^^

Sumiko: THANKS 4 the fav!!!!!!!!!!! I like it when I find that ppl love my fic enuf to do that…. It just makes me so happy that u r willing to mark it or something… tish cheesy naaa???? ^______^;; But I like U!!!!!!!!!! and U like my fic!! So all is good!! *hands u candy*

Vin: *sniffle* I agree… and this chappie is cruder… T.T Because Naruto almost… DIIIIIIIIIIED!!!!!!!!!!! @_______@ But he didn't^^;; (yet… But all ppl die sometime rite??? ^^:J

Rei: I stop because I luv torturing u guys, but I LUV u at the same time^_______^ Aaaa~ I'd adore u even MORe if u gave me fan art tho!!! *huggles u*

Lady Pluto: Ahhhhha~ I luv u toooooo!! It's like this whole love/hate thing with everyone rite?????? Welll I dun hate u^___^ *shifts feet shyly*

Sage of Darkness: I try I try^_______^ Plot rule…. Unless they get slow…. Which I tend 2 do sometimes^^;; Glad u likes it tho!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Although the sequal would prolly have a little smut *cracks up*

Dalpincrage: EVERYONE has a soft spot 4 Naruto!! Specially meeee T.T That's why it hurt so much to do this 2 him… *sigh* I will make him a KING in his next life *grin* or not… ^^;; But the Innocent always win, if bad guys win, then….. it would suck!!

:D: THANKS THANKS^_______^

Assassin of Shadows: Haha!! *laughs at sudden image of Nine-Tails eating Itachi* Tish FUNNY!!!!!!!!! Sasuke rules tho…. So does Naruto and they Do deserve eachother!!!

Fully-kins: HAHHAA!! Me luvs my evilness^_____^ It's the only way I could actually write this up neee??

DarkSoul: THANKS!!! What u will see next comes before u *laughs at my lameness*

IceTiger3: EVIL chappie nee??? LOL!! And I was being a meanie 2 Naruto *sigh* But what's done is done and it HAD 2 be done!! *MAJOR GLOMP* Thanks 4 KOOL review tho^_______^ U r SO KOOL, hyper like meee????? Ahaaa~ And my chapters r very long nee… and very descriptive^^;; While some would find it dragging and tiring…. I'm glad some ppl (like u!!!) enjoy it!!!!!!!!! *gives u some pocky*

Damn… -_______-

That was tiring… I swear 2 myself never 2 do it again… well maybe one more time^^;; Since next chappie is my last~!!!!

  
  



	13. E

My GOD~ This chapter came SOOOOO late didn't it^___^; My deadline was beginning of August, it's the beginning of the next month… I'm so slow^^;;

But you know what? 2 bad! I'm the writer, and you are the readers, so I CONTROL the story!!! *laughs laughing retardedly*

But I only want to say one thing before you ppl go off to read this last chapter, I got about a dozen reviews telling me about how it was SO SAD that it was the end and that Sasuke and Naruto had died -___-

It's not the end… they did not die…

^___^; That's all, I LUV Y'ALL!!!!!!!! *heart*

Power and control really was important, Sasuke realized suddenly, it was power on your own decisions and control over your actions and determination to follow your integrity and do what is right. And power and control was always closely linked by emotion and passion, passion for oneself and passion for the one most dear.

_                It was never about revenge, Sasuke knew as a blissful darkness had overwhelmed him, it was about a love lost and a love that was yet to be discovered._

_                Naruto…_

_                Why is it at the very last moment, when all is dismantled into obliviation that he is finally able to find the answers he desperately tried to find all his life? _

_                Naruto… I…._

_                Why is it at the very last moment, before Sasuke could truly say what he wanted to tell Naruto for so long, when it all comes to an end?_

_                Naruto… I love you…_

_                He only hoped that Naruto would finally see and know what he truly felt for the blond-haired boy, by words unsaid, and his final decision for the power and control of his actions to lose what he wants most. _

_And to have Naruto have what is most important._

_                Live…_

                Breathe… 

" Sasuke."

                Was this death, something he has long tried to fight against, has it finally succeeded in consuming him? Sasuke found that it was not at all like what he had expected. The darkness was fading away to blur back into his surroundings and rather than to have his pain recede, he could still feel the distinctively throbbing of his strained muscles.

                " Sasuke…"

                He could hear Naruto's sweet tenor voice, softly calling out for him. Could God have answered his prayers and send an angel in the form of his loved one? Sasuke blinked twice, moaning audibly as his vision cleared slowly and he saw a blurred face atop of him.

                " Naruto?" He questioned hoarsely, his voice was strangled and dry and his throat hurt when he spoke. Naruto smiled weakly at him above him, his face pale but his smile still radiant. Sasuke lifted a shaking hand to place it against Naruto's face and rubbed it gently, his fingers flitting softly over the three lines that graced the side.

                He felt a waterfall of relief fall over him, the rush was exhilarating as he tried to summon the strength to lift himself up but was unable to. Instead, he brushed his own hair out of his eyes with a bloodied hand and smirked up at Naruto.

                " I'm alive." Sasuke remarked in barely concealed surprise. He was alive, and so was Naruto. Everything was going to be alright.

                Naruto grinned at him, appearing not to care at all that his arch nemesis was still rubbing his face and quickly flashed him a *V* sign. Sasuke didn't fail to notice how he flinched as he did, how his face contorted with pressure and pain with every movement he made. 

                " Naruto?" Sasuke said softly and stared at him questioningly, suddenly as though something extremely cold had just slipped down his spine, he realized something wasn't right. Grunting with effort, Sasuke pulled his hand away from Naruto's face to lift his upper body up from the ground. His eyes widened as he took in everything around him.

                " What? What happened?" Sasuke stammered in disbelief. The area surrounding him was blasted into pieces and flames still flickered in dead branches. His heart suddenly clenched painfully when he looked ahead and saw two lifeless bodies in front of him. He looked to the person sitting in between him and his brother, his eyes asked the mute question already so he did not have to speak. Naruto continued to smile sadly at him, and there was something final in that smile, like his mother's…

                _" Sasuke… please, don't blame your brother… It isn't his fault…"_

Before she had died, lying there on the ground battered and broken, she had looked at him with the eyes of a loving mother. A mother who loved his sons more than anything, one son that she wanted to prevent from going through of life of revenge and loneliness an inch before death, and the other who had betrayed her and yet she can never truly blame. 

                It was the same smile, the one that clearly showed just how much love the person withholding it felt for the person in front of him. The love that revealed how the person would do anything to protect that special person; even in death. Yet Sasuke never saw the love and care in the smile of his mother, staring only with eyes that were blinded by hatred. He wasn't about to make the same mistake.

                " Naruto?" He asked softly for the second time, and it hurt to ask because in some part of him, he knew what had happened. He had always known what were the consequences in some small part of his mind, and he still chose the path of revenge.

                Naruto still smiled that same sad smile that told Sasuke so much more than words coming from a mouth ever could. " I-" Naruto faltered, before with a sudden lurch, a red liquid had dribbled out from the corner of his mouth and he spat out a pool of blood.

                " NARUTO!" Sasuke cried in concerned shock, he leaned over quickly to catch Naruto as he fell forward into his lap. " FUCK! Naruto! What happened!" Sasuke cried out when he saw Naruto's back gashed and bloodied, it made him sick to the stomach and he suddenly felt an awful sort of despair overwhelm him, the kind that offered no space for hope. Sasuke quickly pulled off his shirt and tore it into stips in a frenzied hurry, his mind hardly working properly at all.

                " Don't worry Naruto…" Sasuke assured Naruto, though he had a feeling he was saying it for himself even more. He wrapped the strips of clothe around the back, wounding it with quick swipes and told himself that it was alright that the blood soaked right through the clothe, swallowing it into the dark crimson. It was going to be alright, Sasuke told himself, yet he could feel the blood splash against his hands as he desperately tried to cover the wound.

                " Naruto, you'll make it. Iruka and Kakashi will come any second now and they'll help, don't worry…" Sasuke muttered again quickly, his face dripping with perspiration as he gently pulled Naruto's limp body into his arms and cradled him in his lap. He wiped his bloody hands on his pants without looking and lifted one of them to tenderly brush the blond strands off hair off Naruto's face. " Come on, come on…" Sasuke whispered, and suddenly, the entire forest stilled. Naruto's eyes slowly fluttered open, and when he saw Sasuke, he smiled a slow lazy grin. " Hey…" He said groggily, seeming not to notice that his entire back was almost torn open to the bone.

                Sasuke exhaled in relief, unable to help himself but to smile back in return, a reassuring smile. " Don't worry…" Sasuke murmured, not caring that he was repeating himself again. Sasuke rocked Naruto gently, feeling all the love for the boy rushing through his veins, and he wanted to tell Naruto so much. About how he loved him, about how he could never stop thinking about him, about how he was willing to do anything for him. But what if- what if Naruto didn't feel the same?

                " I…" Sasuke started softly, before Naruto lifted a hand slowly. " You want to know what happened right?" Naruto peered at him tiredly with half-drooped eyes in question. Sasuke hesitated, before nodding in consent. 

                Naruto averted his eyes towards the sky instead, while Sasuke continued to gaze at Naruto, unable to look away. He wasn't about to care that he could feel the warm crimson liquid seeping through the stiff cloth of his pants and feeling wet on his thighs. He didn't want to notice how pale Naruto had gotten, how his skin was ghostly white and so translucent that he could see the veins around his eyes, blue and red twisting together. 

                " Nine-Tails…" Naruto started weakly, his lips were still bright red from the blood that was not wiped from his mouth. " Nine-Tails, he had killed your brother, he saw him in front of us and used the last of his drained energy to end your brother's life…" Naruto said hoarsely, and Sasuke knew painfully that it was a terrible struggle for him to speak. A part of him wanted to yell out to Naruto to stop talking and save energy, but another needed to know what had happened. " But he was happy when he died though, he was smiling… I think it was a relief, and maybe it was at the brink of death when he realized everything he had done and everything he was going through, maybe death was a better path then the dead end he was at now." Naruto spoke softly, his eyes still gazing up at the skies, there was a ghost of a smile still dancing across his lips. 

            There was a brief silence, and Sasuke felt the back of his eyes prickling- his brother, had died.

                " And Nine-Tails?" Sasuke choked out, hating himself for sounding so cold. Naruto drew a deep breath, it sounded like it took a lot of effort.

                " He… died as well." Naruto ended quietly. Sasuke stared at him. " Why?"

                " When a demon is trapped inside the host, it can stay alive while the host is still breathing. But there is one way to destroy it, and that is to destroy the host himself…" Naruto answered, and he turned his bright blue eyes back to Sasuke. " I'm dying Sasuke…" Naruto whispered, his eyes wide and painful. " I'm dying, that's why Nine-Tails couldn't survive… the demon always passes away before the host." Naruto's voice cracked, as though he too found it hard to believe everything that was happening. 

                Sasuke was shocked for a moment, the fact wouldn't sink into his mind… it couldn't be…

                " I can't… Y-You can't…" Sasuke stammered in disbelief, and he unconsciously pulled Naruto closer to him. " You idiot!! YOU FUCKING IDIOT!" Sasuke cried out in despair so great he wanted to die just to end it. He felt his shoulders shaking as the sobs tore out of his throat harshly and uncontrollably. " You moved in front of me didn't you, just before the blast got to us! You fucking moved in front of me and now you're going to die! And you're going to leave me alone! Why the hell did you do it?" Sasuke murmured painfully, dry sobs interrupting his words several times.

            Naruto continued to peer at him, still innocent, still pure and there was almost a glow around him that Sasuke only noticed now. Perhaps it was because he was finally free from Nine-Tails, or maybe it was always there and he just never saw. " I- I don't know… I saw you in front of me and a blinding light coming towards us… and I realized, that I didn't want you to die Sasuke, as much of a bastard as you are…" Naruto felt tears begin to well in his eyes, and didn't know why. " I didn't want you to die… I wanted to protect you… I didn't want you to die…" Naruto repeated, as his tears dripped from his long lashes to runs down his smudged cheeks.

                " Why did you have to save me though, I don't want to live… not without you." Sasuke cried out painfully. " God Naruto… I don't want to cry anymore…" Sasuke murmured softly, his voice rugged and scratched. " Aniki is gone… don't leave me too, don't leave…"

                Naruto sighed tiredly, his brows wrinkled up in effort to stay awake. " Remember that day, when you sacrificed your life to save me, and Haku told me that you saved me because I was important to you?" Naruto gave a glowing smile, with his cheeks and lashes wet. " I was truly happy, perhaps I didn't realize that at first, but I was so relieved and happy that I was special to someone… to people… but I don't think I would have been so happy, and so sad if it was Iruka saving me…" A pause. 

" Instead of you…"

                Sasuke was stunned and he grabbed Naruto tightly, holding him in his arms. He looked carefully into Naruto's eyes and still fought the urge to cry. " I love you Naruto… I really do..." Sasuke finally choked out. " I love you so much I want to die right now just so that I could be with you, I can't live a life without you Naruto."

                " Idiot." Naruto said immediately. " I'm giving up my life for you Sasuke, please, do me one last favour and live. Promise me, I want you to breathe in life until the day your end truly comes, and someday, we'll meet again."

                Sasuke wanted to keep this one last promise for the one he loved, but it would be so hard. He stared into Naruto's pleading eyes and nodded, there was a note of finality to it. 

                " I love you Naruto…" Sasuke said again, tasting those words in his mouth like a bittersweet fruit. Naruto beamed sadly at him, and he seemed so alive there for a moment that Sasuke felt hope springing back into his heart. 

                " I know." Naruto answered quietly. " I think I've always known… Just don't say that anymore, pretend that you never loved me."

                " I c-can't…" Sasuke whispered so softly that Naruto did not hear.

                " Pretend you never loved me and I'll pretend I never knew, it would less hard on both of us that way…" Naruto continued to stare at him with those beautiful blue eyes, tear droplets still on his lashes. " Just stay here with me, until the end." Naruto's eyes closed shut slowly, his chest still moving up and down steadily, a smile upon his lips.

                And Sasuke held his hand the entire time, gripping it tightly like he was pulling at Naruto's last lifely. It seemed like an enternity, it seemed like seconds, but the boy's pulse soon began to slow, then fade a way. Sasuke finally let go of the hand, and crawled over to the tree only several feet away, he then grabbed a sharp rock in his hand and carved out two names under the two that were already there.

                " Sasuke and Naruto…"

                He then stared at those words and ran his fingers over them softly. He gazed at them blankly until the sun rose and the sky cleared to a tangy orange colour. 

It was in the end, when Sasuke finally let his tears fall.

***10 years later***

Kakashi pulled Iruka close to him as they walked, the sorrow had just begun to fade away, he only hoped that Naruto was happy where he was. 

" Kakashi..." Iruka suddenly spoke up quietly and stopped walking, and the handsome grey-haired man peered down at his lover, halting in his steps as well. He tucked his fingers under the slighter built man's face and lifted it up slightly, he was not surprised to see them shining with unshed tears. The pain was clearly marked on Iruka's face, the guilt and the love.

" I hate it, every time we come here…" Iruka said painfully. " We could have saved him Kakashi, if we didn't waste our time running around everywhere else, we could have gotten there in time and saved him…" Iruka clutched the taller man's hand so tightly it was almost painful.

                " It was inevitable Iruka…" Kakashi said softly, wanting to comfort the man. 

                " I hate being here… there are just too many memories, I want to leave." Iruka said stubbornly, the plastic bag in his other hand crinkled crisply as he moved it.

                " And deprive Naruto from his ramen? Hardly." Kakashi retorted with a chuckle, even though it was far from a laughing matter. " It happened ten years ago, we have to get over it, Naruto would want us to."

                " Sasuke never got over it…" Iruka murmured, and Kakashi felt his heart clench as well at the fact. " Sasuke is Hokage, he can have anything he wants now." Kakashi answered stiffly.

                " But he never got what he wanted most." Iruka said immediately and emotionlessly. Kakashi couldn't answer. There was a short silence before the plastic bag crumpled it again and the ramen cups inside jangled together.

                " But it's alright. " Iruka said quickly with faked cheerfulness, "we better get to the grave now before we're late and get Naruto his ramen." Kakashi nodded in agreement, and they resumed walking again through the forest. They walked for sometime before a sound stopped them in there tracks, only a few feet from their destination.

                It was the sound of despair, a desperate sobbing that made both Kakashi and Iruka's heart clench sadly.

                " Naruto… Come back to me… Please… I can't stand it with out you…" Sasuke sobbed desperately… " I don't want to live, I don't know if I can keep that promise, I don't want to live and I still love you… I can't forget about you…" He sat there with his arms wrapped around his knees, staring at the stone tablet that was nailed to the tree, tears pouring down his flushed cheeks. 

                " It's been so hard… I tried so hard not to remember, but I can't help myself… I need you, I need you so damn much… I couldn't even visit you for ten years, because I was so afraid…" Sasuke whispered softly, his voice breaking every once in a while.

                Kakashi and Iruka stared at each other with sorrowful eyes, knowing how hard it was for Sasuke. They wanted nothing more than to help the young man, but there was nothing to do, he had already lost what was most dear to him.

                " I.." Iruka started uncertainly, " I think Naruto would like his ramen very much Kakashi, it's a new flavour he hasn't tried yet." He spoke loudly, so that his voice carried to the grave. He was lucky they were behind a tree, Sasuke wouldn't know they were there. Kakashi stared at him in confusion for a moment before realization dawned on him and he followed suit.

                " Yes, he would like it very much…" Kakashi answered just as loudly. They both smiled when they heard cloth rustle on the other side and knew that Sasuke was standing up quickly. They both walked out into plain view as though they had never been there.

                " Hokage!" Iruka feigned surprise when he saw the slender young man standing there, perfect and emotionless as he always was. His hair had grown out during past years and he had tied up smoothly into a ponytail, now having an uncanny resemblance to his older brother. He was still extremely handsome, though his face had hardened for there has not been one time since the death when he smiled. 

Sasuke nodded acknowledgement to them stiffly before he casually smoothed out his robes and walked away without a word.

Kakashi gazed at Iruka worriedly, before they both knelt down before Naruto's grave. " Naruto, I miss you so much." Iruka started uncomfortably. " I miss your sunny smile and your cheerful voice, I miss the way you cheat ramen off me and I miss all your annoying pranks. I miss everything about you." He ended quietly. 

" But we're okay now, and we're starting to recover. Sasuke would take a while, and I know you're really worried about him. But he'll be alright, Iruka and I will take care of him well." Kakashi said confidently. 

" We will never forget you though, I don't think we ever could. And even if we die and we live different lives in the future, we may not remember, but we'll never forget. Even if we can't recognize your face anymore, I promise you, our love will bring us back together." Iruka said lovingly, Naruto was like a son to him. He gently placed the ramen cups at the root of the tree and the two men stood back up.

Kakashi grinned at him. " Are you sure you should be making a promise like that?" He said calmly, placing his arm around Iruka's shoulders. 

Iruka stared at the tree in silence for a moment, before taking a step forward to place a hand against the two names that were roughly carved out on the bark. 

" Sasuke and Naruto…" Iruka said tenderly and inaudibly, finally smiling. He walked back to Kakashi who was waiting for him, and gave his love a chaste kiss on the lips. 

" Yeah…" Iruka answered, smiling brilliantly. " I think I should."

                *OWARI*

For ppl who can't stand endings like there ^____^ There's more XD


	14. Epilogue

Epilogue.

A raven-haired boy made his way past through all the bustling students, unaware of the stares and the giggles of the girls as he walked past. He frowned deeply and slipped his schedule out of his pants pocket, scanning over it quickly. 

" An assembly…" Sasuke muttered softly; eyebrows rising up slightly in irritation before he deftly slipped it back into his pocket and made his way towards the theatre.

It was the first day of school again, along with all these boring classmates and boring teachers, along with boring classes and boring girls. Sasuke sighed; it was like this in every other school he attended anyways, why did he care? He was dressed in dark navy pants and a crisp white shirt with a navy blue tie, it was all needed for the uniform requirement. 

Finally making his way into where the seats were, he sat down in the middle of the theatre, unaware that he was the first one sitting and that only after he sat down did the rest of the school follow suit. The girls fought to get a seat close to him.

Sasuke wondered if he could take the risk to catch a small doze while the principle droned on and on about how wonderful the school was and how he wanted everyone to cooperate. He had to go through that every year and it was getting rather overused and tiring. Casually lifting a hand to brush back his dark bangs out of his face, Sasuke sat at the seat, waiting for the headmaster to finish off.

" I'm glad to be here this year and to see young familiar faces…" Sasuke listened without really concentrating and rested his head on his arm. " But it's time to introduce to you new students, new relationships and new beginnings…"

This was the part where the headmaster read out every new kid's name and introduced him to the rest of the school, not realizing how socially scarring it is to be shown off in front of over 500 students. 

" Hyuga Hinata…"

Sasuke suddenly picked up his head as something caught his eye, a blond tuff of hair? Sasuke peered at the boy standing beside the curtains and the other new students and studied him carefully. Even though he could only see the back of the boy, there was something startlingly familiar about him, something that made the hairs on the back of his neck prickle in newfound excitement.

Sasuke watched in anticipation as the students shifted forward in the line, awaiting to be introduced. It was his turn, Sasuke caught his breath as the boy prepared to turn around to face the auditorium and felt a flood of familiar emotion and love overwhelm him as he did.

" Let me introduce to you, our new student, Uzumaki Naruto."

It was a introduction of new students, new relationships, and most of all new beginnings… 

_~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~_

_BREATHE_

I would hold the hand of the one who could lead me places,   
And kiss the lips of the one who could sing so sweet.  
And I would fly on the wings of the bird,   
I knew, could take me highest.   
  
   
I would dance with the feet I knew I could always follow,  
And take the road that had the straightest line.  
You do all of these things for me,  
You are, and then some . . . . .   
  
Breathe in, breathe out,   
You keep me alive.   
You are the fire burning inside.  
Breathe in, breathe out,   
You keep me alive.   
You are the fire, my passion for life.   
And I would fly on the wings of the bird,  
I knew, could take me highest.  
  


_Breathe in, breathe in, breathe out,  
You are the fire burning inside.  
Breathe in, breathe out   
You keep me alive   
You are the fire, my passion for life   
Breathe in, breath in baby, breathe out, breathe out,   
You are the fire burning inside.  
You are the fire inside. . . . You give me life  
You are my passion for life._

~OWARI~

Bookah!!! It's FINISHED!! FIIIIIINISHED!!!!!!!!! I mean, I've been working on this fer almost a year haven't I??? That's cuz I'm so damn slow with the chapters, but it's finally finished^^;; 

Ew, I made Sasuke totally mushy and sissy and out of character in this story didn't I? *sigh* The hardships of an author who only wants to give all she can give *grin*

But THANKYOU 2 EVERYONE who supported me through this:

All the fellow artists at Devianart~ And PPL!!!! C-chan not only writes, but also DRAWS!!! If you want to find Naruto fanart and others, go to    PLZ COME and drop a word, it would make me REALLY HAPPY XDXD

So yeah~ Yoru-chan and Hellsing-chan and all those SasuNaru lovers and artists there who helped inspire me for my story~ All those pretty NaruSasu piccies *gets all happy* Then 2 Fumi-chan and Nox-chan and Aimee-chan and everyone else who helped me thru my rough period with kool things 2 talk to me about everyday ^_____^

And DEFINITLY SW-chan who drew me pretty pictures fer my story and helped inspire me to write this chapter with theeem, U R SO KEEEWL!!! I WUUUUUV YEW!!!! *glomps yew a million times* 

Also to all the fellow writers and fanfic.net *grin* There r so many of you now out there I could hardly count and say ALL of ur names… but ones that REALLY helped me were SeiyaStarSniper, s.S-chan helped me A LOT~ She found the song and beta-ed my last chapter, she gave me ideas and supported me ALL THE way~ Suffering together through the plague of writer's block and exchanging words of advice and pity helped me SO MUCH!!! *GLOMP* I LUV YEEEEW!!! Thanks Thanks Thanks ^____^

The ppl at the NaruSasu writers group who rampages over everyone with those billions of e-mails, yew r ALL KEWL WRITERS with AMAZING STORIES!!!!!!!!!

And 2 my luffly reviwers!! *starts pelting y'all with candies and luv and kisses and pocky and everything wonderful* Firstly~ Thankyou fer supporting me thru that whole evil flamer thing, I was REALLY REALLY touched by that and all the compliments yew guys gave me~ *heart* I mean, I shocked by how many reviews of got by this, and REALLY HAPPY 4 it!! I LUFF YEW ALLL!!!!!

*sends you all LOVE*

Then 2 my BETA (and I still call her my beta) Ko-chaaaaan~ Who I haven't spoken 2 in sooo long but still love VERY VERY VERY MUCH ^______^ *GLOMP*

And for Kishimoto-sama, who brought these characters to us!! THANKYOOOOU!!!!! *heart*

And fer the ppl who added 2 their favourites list, it makes me totally happy everytime I check my stats and find out that someone new added me 2 their list!! YAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!

I'm sorri I can't mention all of you, and I very much want 2^____^ By name anyways~

But it's hard, and I'm lazy XDXD

But ONE-LAST MESSAGE!!!!!!!!!!

There is a sequal 2 this! Surprise???? In fact~ It's already been WRITTEN AND POSTED!!

It's called Remembering your love, I'm sure some of you read that and I'm really happy~ That was originally the sequal the whole time, but I thought it was perfect fer Valentine's day ^____^

That story MAY or MAY NOT b updated^^;; Depends on my mood.

But the story I will b working on next, and I've been neglecting it for a while, is Beauty of the Beast~

THANKYOU TO EVERYONE FOR READING THIS!!!!!!!!


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